BR to procure 250 new passenger coaches

Some 250 new passenger coaches and 10 locomotives are going to be added to the fleet of Bangladesh Railway (BR) to offer safe, smooth and comfortable journey to the commuters.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday approved two separate projects involving Taka 2,108 crore as part of the government efforts to modernize the BR. Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide Taka 1,534 crore for the projects.

ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the meeting held at the NEC Conference Room in city`s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.

Planning Minister A H M Mustafa Kamal, after the meeting, briefed newsmen about the outcome. He said the ECNEC approved a total of 10 development projects with an outlay of Taka 6,251 crore, of which the government would provide Taka 2,673 crore and the remaining Taka 3,578 crore would come as project aid.

Kamal said the government would procure 200 meter gauge rail coaches and 50 broad gauge rail coaches under the project "Procurement of Meter Gauge and Broad Gauge Passenger Carriages for BR (Taka 1,374 crore)".

Besides, BR would also procure two "Train Washing Plants" for cleaning the coaches quickly after every trip.

Besides, BR, under another project, would collect 10 meter gauge diesel electric locomotives, two meter gauge and two broad gauge accident-relief cranes and one locomotive simulator for Taka 734 crore.

Currently, BR has 1165 meter gauge coaches, of which 591 coaches are running with various defects and less passenger amenities.

On the other hand, BR has 324 broad gauge coaches, but 78 of these coaches have already crossed their economic life. "The newly procured coaches would be added to intercity-trains and to be replaced with over-aged coaches to fulfill the demand of the passengers," said the planning minister.

He said BR is entrusted with completing both the projects by June 2019.

The ECNEC approved another project titled "Western Bangladesh Bridge Improvement Project" at a cost of Taka 2,912 crore to replace and construct 61 small and medium-sized bridges in 24 western and southwestern districts.

Out of the total amount, the government would provide Taka 1,007 crore and Japanese development organization JICA would give the remaining Taka 1,905 crore. Roads and Highways Department (RHD) will implement the project by June 2020.

Other projects cleared by the ECNEC are: Construction of Office Building for National Productivity Organization and Department of Patents, Designs and Trademarks with Modern Facilities (Tk 45 crore), Bank Protection Work along the Left Bank of Padma River from Aurangabad to Barha Bazar Ghat at Dohar upazila in Dhaka District (Tk 218 crore), Development of Sanapur Noakhali)- Sonagazi(Feni)-Zorarganj(Chittagong) Road Project (Tk 173 crore), Construction of 448 Flats for Government Employees of Bangladesh National Parliament Secretariat at Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Dhaka (1st revised) (Tk 218 crore), Development of Bangladesh University of Professionals (Tk 257 crore), Development of Sylhet Agricultural University (2nd revised)(Tk 111 crore) and Primary Education Development Project(1st revised) (Tk 210 crore).

Ministers and state ministers attended the meeting while members of the Planning Commission and secretaries concerned were present.