DHAKA, Mar 05, 2023 (BSS)- The progress of the construction work of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Railway Bridge over Jamuna River has reached to 58 percent.

“We have a target to complete the construction work of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Railway Bridge within the August 2024,” Project Director (PD) of the project Al Fattah Md Masudur Rahman told BSS here today.

He said with sincere efforts, 58 percent of the project has been implemented with the installation of 12 spans on 13 piers of the 4.8 kilometre long bridge.

Rahman said the 13th span is being installed on other piers. A total of 50 piers and 49 spans will be installed on the bridge, out of the total, 21 piers were completed, while construction work is going on for 18 piers in different stages.

Earlier, Railways Minister Nurul Islam Shujan told the journalists that if the bridge is constructed, an international network of rail communication with North Bengal and South Asia will be established. 

He said that the bridge will have dual gauge double line, where trains will run at 120 KPH speed on broad gauge and will take five minutes to cross the river which now takes around 40 minutes.

“It will be possible to run more number of trains which will increase the number of domestic trains as well as inter-country trains and direct freight trains from India,” Shujan said.

The 4.8km-long dedicated railway bridge is being built parallel to the existing Bangabandhu Bridge to relieve pressure on the bridge and provide hassle-free rail communications between the capital and the western zone of Bangladesh Railway.

With over one thousand engineers, officials, staff, and workers have been working round-the-clock, project officials are confident to complete the project by 2024, according to the project details.

It said a new window of opportunity for business and trade will open up for the people of the northern region once the railroad bridge is operational.

Railway communications between Dhaka and the north and south-western regions of the country were introduced for the first time with the opening of the Bangabandhu Bridge in 1998.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Railway Bridge on November 29, 2020. 
    
The railway bridge project will include a 7.6 km double-line railway approach embankment and a 30.73 km dual-gauge railway track. Additionally, the East and West stations and yards of the Bangabandhu Bridge will be renovated and remodeled.

The Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Railway Bridge will also help boost the economy of the northern region of the country in addition to improve e the train services.