Dhaka-Ctg Bullet Train project proposal sent to Railways

CHATTOGRAM, July 8: The DPP (Development Project Proposal) of the highly ambitious project of bullet train from Chattogram to Dhaka for one hour journey was completed in June.
Project Director Md Quamrul Ahsan told the Daily Observer that the consortium of China Railway Design Corporation of China and Mazumder Enterprise of Bangladesh have already submitted the DPP to the Bangladesh Railway.
The DPP will be approved by the ECNEC and the Cabinet Purchase Committee. The Project Director said the cost of the project has been estimated at 11.4 billion US Dollar.
The Bangladesh government is now looking for a financer of the project.
Railway sources said, two Chinese firms have expressed their willingness to fund the biggest ever project of the Bangladesh Railway.
After the approval of the DPP, the Bangladesh
    Government will pursue those firms for funding the project at the end of the current year.
The Chinese firm appointed for conducting a feasibility study on the project has already completed the study.
Railway sources said the 'Feasibility Study and Detailed Design for Construction of Dhaka-Chattogram via Cumilla High-Speed Railway Project' was approved in March 2017, by the Planning Ministry.
Meanwhile, the consortium of China Railway Design Corporation of China and Mazumder Enterprise of Bangladesh has been appointed for conducting the feasibility study including the preparation of adetailed design at a cost of Tk 110.16 crore on 31 May 2018.
Railway sources said after approval of the DPP, Bangladesh Railway will go for appointment of a consultant as well as a Contractor for construction of such an ambitious project of the country.
Project Director hoped that the construction of the project might begin within the current year of 2021 with approval by the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec).
Quamrul said, a total of six stations will be constructed on the proposed route - Dhaka, Narayanganj, Cumilla, Feni, Pahartali and Chattogram.
The total estimated cost of the project from Dhaka to Chattogram would be about $11.4 billion.
Of the 668.24 hectares of land required for the project, Bangladesh Railway has to acquire 464.2 hectares.
Railway sources said, presently, the journey by train from Dhaka to Chattogram takes nearly six hours.
With the introduction of bullet train in the route it could take a little over an hour. The hour of journey will be slashed to only 73 minutes once the high-speed trains begin passenger services.
An uninterrupted journey between Dhaka and Chattogram will take only 55 minutes. The trains, which will run at a top speed of 300km/hr, can carry approximately 50,000 passengers each way daily.