Opening in July but full benefits far off|| Hawkerbd.com

TUHIN SHUBHRA ADHIKARY

The Dhaka-Jashore rail line via the Padma Bridge is going to open in July, but Bangladesh Railway may not able be to reap the full benefit of the expensive project soon mainly due to shortages of manpower and carriages.

According to the feasibility study of the project, at least 24 pairs of trains can be operated on the line daily once the entire 169km line is opened.

But only five pairs of trains, including one inaugurated yesterday, are operating on the partially opened line.

And two more trains, which now use Bangabandhu Bridge route, will use the new line once it is opened fully. But even after that, 70 percent of the line’s capacity will remain unused.

BR will have to introduce new trains or increase frequency of the trains for the south-western region; and operate more freight trains, particularly from India, to effectively use the capacity of the line.

But BR does not have enough manpower to operate the new and additional freight trains. This is because BR is now operating with half the workforce it needs. Moreover, the BR is yet to have approval for the dedicated manpower it sought for the Dhaka-Jashore route.

Besides, it has a shortage of carriages to operate new trains or increase frequency of trains.

The Daily Star came to know this after talking to half a dozen railway officials.

BR is constructing 169km broad-gauge single-line from Dhaka to Jashore via Padma Bridge at a cost of Tk 39,247 crore. This is the biggest project of BR in terms of cost. More than half of the cost is being provided by China as loan.

The Dhaka-Bhanga section of the line was opened in October last year.

Currently, Jashore-bound Benapole Express from Dhaka, Rajshahi-bound Modhumati Express, and Khulna-bound Sundarban Express, and Nakshikatha Commuter use the route.

Yesterday, Railways Minister Zillul Hakim inaugurated a commuter train on Dhaka-Bhanga-Rajbari route.

The train will be operated as Bhanga Commuter on Bhanga-Dhaka-Bhanga route while as Chandana Commuter on Rajbari-Bhanga-Rajbari route, officials said. The train will be operated with old carriages and locomotives.

Speaking at the inauguration programme at Madaripur’s Shibchar, the minister said Dhaka-Jashore rail line will be opened within two months.

Once the line is opened fully, BR will move Khulna-bound Chitra Express, which now uses the Bangabandhu Bridge, to the Padma Bridge route.

Besides, BR, upon receiving consent from India, will move Moitree Express, being operated on Dhaka-Kolkata route via Bangabandhu Bridge, to the Padma Bridge route too.

Asked about the plan, BR Director General Sardar Shahadat Ali said they will introduce new trains and increase frequency of the existing ones once the line is opened fully.

BR will double the frequency of trains on Dhaka-Jashore and Dhaka-Khulna routes, he told The Daily Star last night.

Asked how BR will increase frequency amid the severe manpower crisis, he said, “It would be tough, but we will try to manage.”

According to recent BR data, the state-owned rail transport agency currently employs 24,403 people out of its total authorised 47,637 posts, meaning 23,234 posts now lies vacant.

Besides, BR’s proposal for creating 1,674 posts for operating trains on the Dhaka-Jashore route is pending with the public administration ministry although the proposal was submitted over two years ago.

Apart from manpower, there are shortages of carriages, Asim Kumar Talukder, general manager (west) of BR, told The Daily Star last night.

BR procured 100 broad gauge carriages under the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project but those have already being used in different trains, he said.

A BR official said they are going to sign a contract with Indian companies on May 20 to procure 200 broad gauge carriages.

“But it would take at least 18 months after the signing of the contract to get the new carriages,” Asim Kumar said.

So, Bangladesh Railway will have to deal with the problems of shortages of manpower and carriages in increasing trips and introducing new trains on the new line, he added.

The railways minister yesterday said they were hiring people on contracts due to a shortage.

Another BR official said if BR wants to introduce trains to new destinations like Gopalganj or Narail, it has to develop some facilities there.

Opening of rail line via Padma Bridge is considered as a key to bring Barishal division under the rail network, which is the only division where there is no rail line.

Although BR has completed the feasibility study for constructing rail line from Bhanga to Payra sea port in Patuakhali via Barishal around three years ago, it could not take up the project as the fund could not be managed.

The railways minister yesterday said the entire Bhanga-Payra rail line would be elevated due to the poor condition of the soil there.

However, managing the huge amount, Tk 65,000 to Tk 70,000 crore, required for the project would be tough, a top official of railways ministry told this correspondent recently.