C T Online Desk: A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has been signed to establish the country’s first monorail system in Chittagong, aiming to ease traffic congestion and modernize the city’s public transport network.
The MoU was officially signed on Sunday at the World Trade Center in Chittagong between the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) and the implementing firms-a German-Egyptian joint venture, Orascom Group, and Arab Contractors Group-to move forward with the monorail project.
The CCC has taken the initiative to implement this transformative project.
The two international companies, Orascom Group and Arab Contractors Group, have expressed interest in executing the construction of the monorail system.
The project, which is expected to cost approximately Tk25,000 crore, will be entirely funded by the implementing agencies.
Once completed, the monorail is anticipated to bring a significant transformation to the city’s transportation system, much to the hope of its residents.
According to CCC sources, the concept of a mass rapid transit system was first proposed in 2019, when a feasibility study was launched for a 54.5km metro rail network. However, that project was later shelved due to geographical challenges and other considerations.
In June 2021, Chinese company WETech initially proposed the idea of a monorail to the CCC as an alternative solution.
After evaluating several proposals, CCC eventually decided to proceed with the one from Orascom and Arab Contractors Group.
Following approval from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec), a detailed feasibility study will be conducted.
The project is expected to take around five years to complete.
Experts state that monorail is a modern, space-efficient rail technology that costs about 40% less than metro rail and can be integrated into existing infrastructure.
The system runs on a single rail, making it suitable for dense urban environments.
CCC Mayor Shahadat Hossain said: “Chittagong has turned into a city of traffic jams. We urgently need a fast, efficient solution like the monorail to save time and improve mobility.”
He further emphasized that as the gateway to South Asia, Chittagong must evolve into a smart, modern city. “The implementation of this project will bring order to the traffic system and allow residents to travel swiftly to their destinations,” he added.
Top officials from the funding and implementing companies, as well as business leaders and civil society representatives, attended the MoU signing ceremony.
