Dhaka-Ctg train travel time to decrease

Train travel times will be shorter on different routes in Bangladesh Railway's (BR's) east zone as the newly installed 64km double track line of Dhaka-Chittagong route opens today.

The decrease in travel times for 51 passenger trains including intercity and mail/express trains will be up to 2 hours and 20 minutes, and for three container trains, it will be up to 6 hours and 25 minutes, according to the traffic department of the zone.

Recently double tracks have been set up on the 64km Bhairab Bazar-Tongi section of Dhaka-Chittagong route, said officials. In April last year, the 61km Chinki Astana-Laksam section of the route was turned into a double track line.

Officials said travel times would decrease as trains would not have to share the same track.

The double track line will benefit people travelling from Dhaka to Chittagong, Sylhet, Mymensingh, and Noakhali.

Mohammad Mokbul Ahammad, general manager (GM) of the railway's east zone, said on average the journey time for each train would be 30 to 60 minutes shorter.

It will encourage people to travel by trains, he added.

Of the 320km Dhaka-Chittagong route, 244km has become double tracks so far.

Out of the remaining 76km, the 5km Talshahar-Ashuganj section will come under the double track line within this year, while the bidding process for setting up double tracks on 71km Laksam-Akhaura section is under way, the GM said.

Meanwhile, schedules of most trains in the zone have been changed, while the intercity train Mohanagar Probhatee has been renamed Mohanagar Express.

Now the train will start from Chittagong at 12:30pm instead of 7:00am, said Jobeda Akter, deputy director (public relations) of the east zone.