- Tk 6,670 cr expenditure decreases
- Rail link with Myanmar through mountains an unrealistic dream.
- The route is unlikely to be viable near future
The Chattogram-Dohazari-Cox's Bazar-Ghundhum railway project has been dropped the Ramu-Ghundhum rail line.
Sources said 100.83km dual gauge single line has been constructed in the first phase from Chattogram's Dohazari to Cox's Bazar under the project.
In the 2nd phase, the construction of new 29-km railway line from Ramu to Ghundhum is being excluded through the project revision.
According to Bangladesh Railway sources, the recently held Project Evaluation Committee (PEC) meeting proposed to revise the Development Project Proposal (DPP) for the second time by excluding the Ramu-Ghundhum section. It has been proposed to set the construction cost at Tk 11,363 cr. If the proposal is approved, the cost of this project will be reduced by Tk 6,670 crore. Apart from this, it has been proposed to extend the duration of the project by one more year, which, if approved, will complete the project on 30 June 2025.
It is known that in the second phase, two stations were to be constructed at Ukhia in Cox's Bazar and Ghundhum in Bandarban as part of the plan to build a 28.72 km railway line from Ramu station to Ghundhum on the Myanmar border. This project was taken up with the aim of joining the Trans Asian Railway Route-1. But, this objective is considered unrealistic by the current interim government.
Professor Wahiduddin Mahmud, who is in charge of the government's planning ministry, said that the whole part of Myanmar's border with Bangladesh is surrounded by mountains. A rail link with the main part of Myanmar through these mountains is an unrealistic dream. Due to revision of the project, the cost of land acquisition and rehabilitation, construction of main railway line, newly imposed CD-VAT, consultant, project management unit and cost adjustment are reduced. The current cost of the project is Tk18,034 cr. Of this, Tk 13,115cr are Asian Development Bank (ADB) loans. The remaining Tk 4919cr of Bangladesh government. In the second amendment of the DDP, ADB's debt is proposed to be fixed at Tk 8,651cr and Bangladesh Government's share at Tk 2,712cr.
It is known that in 2010, the then government's National Economic Council Executive Committee (ECNEC) approved the project to build a 129 km railway line from Dohazari to Ramu to Cox's Bazar and from Ramu to Ghundhum near Myanmar. The Awami League government took up the project to build a new railway from Dohazari to Cox's Bazar and from Ramu to Ghundhum on the Myanmar border. The project was approved in 2010. Railway officials say that the Ramu-Ghundhum section is being excluded from the Cox's Bazar rail project as the possibility of the route becoming operational in the near future has decreased. The issue has also been mentioned in the DPP amendment of the project.
According to the current DPP, the project implementation area includes Chandnaish in Chittagong, Satkania, Lohagara, Chakria Sadar in Cox's Bazar, Ramu, Ukhia and Ghundhum in Bandarban. Through the second amendment, Ukhia of Cox's Bazar and Ghundhum area of Bandarban have been excluded from here. Apart from the suspension of the Ramu-Ghundhum section, the amendment proposal mentions that the cost has been reduced due to six other ancillary amendments to the project. Annexures are land acquisition and rehabilitation, construction of core railways, newly imposed CD-VAT, consultants, project management units and price coordination. Expenditure on some of these accessories has increased, on some it has decreased.
The current cost of the project is Tk 18,034cr. Of this, Tk 13,115cr are Asian Development Bank (ADB) loans. The remaining Tk 4919cr of Bangladesh government. In the second amendment of the DDP, ADB's debt is proposed to be fixed at Tk 8,651cr and Bangladesh Government's share at Tk 2,712cr. Project Director of Dohazari-Cox's Bazar Rail Line Project Subaktgin said that the construction cost is reduced due to the exclusion of the Ghundhum section. Proposals for revision of DPP are made in compliance with all rules of FIDIC contract.
ZH
