The deadline for the construction of the 169-kilometre railway line from Dhaka to Jashore under the Padma Rail Link Project is set to be extended by one year, moving the completion date to June 2025.

The deadline extension is attributed to the slow progress in related work e.g. construction of station building and signalling system and allowing adequate time for detecting potential errors in contractor’s work and ensuring quality, despite the railway tracks being expected to be installed within the existing June 2024 deadline.

However, the estimated cost of the project, amounting to Tk39,247 crore, will not undergo any changes, as confirmed by project officials.

The proposal document for the extension of the Padma Rail Link Project deadline was sent to Bangladesh Railway from the project office last week, sources within the project office told the Daily Sun, adding that the proposal will be forwarded from Bangladesh Railway to the Railways Ministry for approval.

Asked about this, Project Director Md Afzal Hossain said, “We have proposed a one-year deadline extension. This extension will not cause any cost hike; it is primarily aimed at allowing sufficient time for supervising the contractor’s work, identifying any potential errors, and ensuring quality. Although our target is to complete all work by June 2024, there might be some unfinished tasks.”

However, on 24 November 2023, Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan, during a visit to the project area, expressed confidence about a timely completion of the project, saying, “The work on this project will conclude in June 2024, and train services will commence up to Jashore thereafter.”

Regarding the construction progress, sources said that the 82km railway line from Dhaka to Bhanga via Mawa under the project has been operational since October last. Additionally, work on an approximately 82km main railway line from Bhanga to Rupdia, Jashore via Narail has been completed.

It is anticipated that by June this year, the main railway line and some loop lines will be finished, while signalling systems and station buildings will still be under construction, they added.

Several engineers involved with the project told the Daily Sun that it will take around one year to complete the computer-based interlock signalling system at 20 stations. Additionally, construction work on 14 new stations and the development and other infrastructure construction of 6 existing stations are underway. However, the construction of the railway station buildings is lagging behind.

The Mawa, Shibchar, and Padma railway stations have been already constructed while the work on Nimtala station is likely to be completed in January. Besides, Gendaria, Keraniganj, and Bhanga Junction stations are also under construction.

Among the new station buildings, Narail station has achieved the least progress while Rupdia station has progressed the most.

The progress report for December 2023 on the Padma Rail Link Project indicates an overall advancement of 90%. Subdivided, the Dhaka-Mawa section has progressed by 87%, the Mawa-Bhanga section by 98%, and the Bhanga-Jashore section by 85.5%. The installation of rail tracks from Bhanga to Jashore is 64% complete.

In terms of infrastructure, the project includes the construction of a 169km mainline, 53.97km of loop and siding lines, and a total of 226.95km railway tracks, including three lines covering 3.97km from Dhaka to Gendaria.

Furthermore, the project involves the construction of 23.377 kms of viaduct, 98 ramps, 60 major bridges, 272 minor bridges (culvert underpasses), and 29 level crossings.

Initiated in June 2016, the Padma Rail Link Project, with financial support from China, is being executed by China Railway Group Limited (CREC), while the Construction Supervision Consultant of Bangladesh Army is working as consultant.