The Chattogram-Cox's Bazar railway line project badly damaged due to the recent waterlogging and floods.
The railway line is broken and water is flowing underneath most of the places. In some places, the rocks of the railway line have moved, the bridge has also collapsed. However, project officials said they would review the extent of damage after the floodwaters receded. Meanwhile, local residents claim that the flood situation in South Chattogram has worsened due to the under-construction railway line.
The bridge over the Patiya Srimai Canal of this railway line under construction has been badly damaged due to incessant rains. The railing of the bridge collapsed and fell down.
Nizam Uddin, manager of Patiya railway station, said the bridge was damaged by the floods. The matter has been reported to the officials. The authority already started looked after the matter.
Mofizur Rahman, project director of Dohazari-Ramu-Cox's Bazar railway line, said, “The nonstop rains caused severe floods in Chattogram and Cox's Bazar. We have come to know that the railway line has been damaged. However, what kind of damage has been done will be known after the water recedes.”
He also said the Dohazari-Cox's Bazar railway line is already visible for 90 km and the project has already completed 87 percent. Preparations are being made to complete the railway line work by September. Work on the railway line could not be done due to floods in the last few days. The places where there have been problems will be fixed after water receding.
The work of Dohazari-Cox's Bazar railway line project is being implemented at a cost of Tk 18,034.47 cr. On April 3, 2011, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone for the construction of meter gauge railway line from Dohazari-Ramu-Cox's Bazar and Ramu-Ghumdhum. Out of these, 88 kilometers railway line from Dohazari to Ramu in Chattogram and 12 kilometers from Ramu to Cox's Bazar. Construction of the dual gauge and single track railway line project began in 2018, nearly seven years after the Prime Minister’s inauguration. The construction of a 100-km railway line from Dohazari to Cox's Bazar Ramu in Chattogram was initially estimated to cost Tk 1,852 cr. In 2016, the cost increased to Tk 18,034.47 cr by revising the project proposal. It was funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Government of Bangladesh.
JH
