C T Online Desk: Two projects have been taken up to convert Dhaka-Chittagong railway line into dual gauge double line. Feasibility study and detailed design of two projects from Tongi to Akhaura and from Laksam to Chittagong have been completed.
If the funding is confirmed, the project profile will be prepared and the project will be sent to ECNEC, said the concerned engineers. Meanwhile, the work of converting Akhaura-Laksam to dual gauge under a project is almost at the final stage.
Plans were taken a few years ago to upgrade the entire Dhaka-Chittagong to dual gauge double line, but due to non-availability of foreign loans, the work on the Laksam-Chittagong and Akhaura-Tongi sections could not be started. ADB is now in the pipeline to finance these two projects.
A top official of Rail Bhawan said that if the loan agreement with ADB is reached on time and the project is implemented on time, it is expected that the entire Dhaka-Chittagong dual gauge will be upgraded to a double line by 2027.
