Train to run on Padma Bridge from opening day: Sujan

Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan said on Tuesday train service will begin through the Padma Multipurpose Bridge from the opening day.

“The Padma Bridge will be inaugurated next year and trains will run on the same day from Mawa end to Bhanga in Faridpur,” he said while inspecting railway connection work with the Padma Bridge at Mawa end of the project.

On the occasion, the railway minister said the work of station building at Mawa, Bhanga, Shibchar and Janjira is underway. Out of these, Bhanga will be a junction station and will connect four destinations through this rail link.

“We will turn it into an iconic station by making some changes in the existing plan. I also want to thank our construction partner, CREC, as they are completing the works with the utmost cordiality. We are satisfied with their progress despite the pandemic,” added the minister.

The minister said the Padma Bridge was the dream of millions of people and the constriction of this bridge is a great achievement of the country. The railway section from Dhaka to Jashore is 172 km.

“The Padma Bridge rail link project is scheduled to complete in 2024, but the government has taken initiative on a priority basis to start train service from Mawa end to Bhanga on the same day of inauguration in the next year,” Sujan added.

He mentioned that activities are going on under the project’s own management during the corona and lockdown, adding, “The overall progress of Mawa to Bhanga section stood 66 percent till April while the overall progress of the entire project is 41.59 percent.”

After inspection at the Mawa end, the minister went to Jajira end of Shariatpur and saw the ongoing railway construction work from there to Bhanga.

Project Director Golam Fakhruddin Ahmed Chowdhury, Director General of Bangladesh Railway Dhirendra Nath Majumder, officials of the Bangladesh Army working on construction supervision of the project were present during the inspection.