Commuter train service on suburban routes of Ctg recommended
Urban planners have proposed introducing commuter train services on four suburban routes from Chattogram to ease pressure on public transports in the port city.
Currently, only five pairs of trains run on the Chattogram-Nazirhat and Chattogram-Dohazari routes. A total of 3,500 passengers travel in 10 trips, which is only 0.14% of the total population, said leaders of the Forum for Planned Chattogram at a press conference at the Press Club in the city on Saturday.
Architect Shahinul Islam, former urban planner of the Chittagong Development Authority (CDA), gave a PowerPoint presentation.
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People are moving towards the city from the surrounding suburbs to save time and avoid traffic jams, resulting in pressure on the roads, and loss of working hours.
As per the proposals, one to two trains would run on each of the four suburban routes, depending on the distance. There must be a station within every 3-5km, and trains will stop for 25 to 30 seconds at the stations.
Experts have also recommended connecting Hathazari, Fathabad and Nazirhat on the 38km-long Chattogram-Nazirhat route, and proposed eight stoppages in between to carry wholesale and retail traders, office-going passengers and others.
They also proposed introducing a total of four trains, two each in the morning and afternoon, and connecting Fatikchhari in the future on the route.
Similarly, it has been recommended to add Kalurghat, Mohra, Boalkhali, Patia, Chandnaish and Dohazari along with 15 stoppages on the Chattogram-Dohazari route of 50km distance. A total of four trains have been recommended on the route, two each in the morning and afternoon. The route can be expanded to Satkania in the future, said experts.
A total of four trains have been recommended to run on the Chattogram-Sitakunda-Mirsarai route of 45km distance connecting Bhatiari and Kumira, and 13 stoppages have been proposed in between. Currently, there is no local train on this route.
The experts also placed a proposal to introduce a commuter service on the Chattogram-Patenga route, after ensuring approval from the Bangladesh Navy.
In addition, a total of six trains have been recommended to facilitate the journeys of passengers going abroad, including the Middle East, and their relatives.
Forum for Planned Chattogram President Prof Muhammad Sekandar Khan, Vice President Engr Subhash Barua, General Secretary Architect Zarina Hossain, Joint Secretary Taslima Muna and Adviser Shafiul Haider Chowdhury, among others, were at the press conference.
