Rail Tracks from Kamalapur to Tongi
Construction starts this week
The government this week will start construction of two more rail tracks (third and fourth) between Kamalapur railway station and Tongi junction to facilitate passengers with faster and frequent train service.
The project, expected to end by the next one and half years, will be implemented with supports from India, China, Japan and Korea, Railways Minister Suranjit Sengupta said yesterday.
"Initial activities of the project will be launched this week. Once the new tracks are set up, speed of the trains will be increased.
“We have a plan to operate shuttle and commuter trains every 10 minutes on this route," Suranjit told reporters.
The minister was visiting the spots which were recently freed from illegal occupants alongside the rail tracks from Kamalapur Railway Station to Malibagh rail gate.
Bangladesh Railway Director General Abu Taher said 10 more broad-gauge engines would be included in railway by the next 18 months. The new engines will run in those new tracks.
Meanwhile, the minister strictly directed the officials concerned to evict all the illegal structures immediately to free the railway lands from encroachment. "The illegal occupants, in no way, should be staying on the railway's land," he said.
While visiting different spots, some unlawful occupants appeared before the minister with the demand to reconsider the decision of evicting them.
But the minister urged them to leave the lands voluntarily for the greater interest of people and development of the railway sector.
Railway authorities on January 18 launched a fortnight-long drive to free the lands for the construction of the new rail tracks. BR has already issued notices to the inhabitants of around 80 buildings located from Banani to Mohakhali to remove the illegal structures immediately.
According to Bangladesh Railway's Dhaka divisional estate office, around 900 acres out of 17,600 acres land is currently occupied illegally in Dhaka division -- especially alongside the rail tracks from Kamalapur to Tongi.
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