Railway to buy 200 passenger carriages from India for Tk1205.54cr
Under the agreement, all carriages are to be delivered within 36 months
Bangladesh Railway will purchase 200 broad gauge passenger carriages from neighbouring India to provide modern, safe, and comfortable services to its passengers.
To this end, a Tk1,205.54 crore agreement was signed yesterday between the Bangladesh Railway and the Indian company RITES Limited at the railway building in the capital.
The European Investment Bank and the Bangladesh government jointly will finance the passenger carriages procurement project.
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According to the agreement, delivery of the carriages will begin within 20 months, and all 200 carriages are to be delivered within 36 months. The coaches will feature stainless steel construction, high-speed bogies, roof-mounted AC systems, automatic air brake systems, and environmentally friendly designs.
Meanwhile, the contract was signed after a two-year delay, as the project was initiated in 2022. The project period started on 1 July 2022 and will run until 30 June 2026.
Regarding the delay, Project Director Md Zaidul Islam told TBS that the delay was primarily due to difficulties in finding and appointing consultants for the project.
Sources at the railways said the project aims to provide modern, safe, and comfortable services to passengers by increasing the availability of carriages, operating trains on new routes to meet rising passenger demand, replacing outdated carriages, and boosting the revenue of railways.
At the signing ceremony, Railway Minister Md Zillul Hakim emphasised the urgency of receiving the carriages on time.
He noted that although the agreement did not specify exact delivery dates, timely provision of carriages would facilitate planning and operations.
He expressed a preference for receiving two sets of carriages within the next two months, with the rest to follow as scheduled.
The minister also lamented the slow pace of railway officials, highlighting the need for more passenger carriages.
"The recent establishment of rail connectivity in the country's southern part is improving communication between southern districts and Dhaka. These new passenger carriages will further improve rail connectivity," Railway Secretary Humayun Kabir said.
Sardar Shahadat Ali, director general of Bangladesh Railway, said the railway aims to expand its communication network, establish connections across various regions of the country, and enhance passenger services. The project will significantly contribute to achieving these goals.
