Bangladesh secures USD 641 million JICA loan for vital rail project
The project covers the construction of the second track between Joydebpur and Ishurdi which will be also dual gauge.
The project will enhance railway transport capacity by double-tracking the main line between Joydebpur and Ishurdi, which connects the east and west sides of the country. This loan for the project shall be used to the eastern section (Joydebpur-Jamuna railway bridge), which is a priority section of the project. The entire project is expected to be completed in June 2030 when the double tracked line will be entirely operational including its facilities.
This month, Bangladesh Railways will launch the tender of the initial procurement package for civil work for international competitive bidding on project construction.
The railway section connecting Joydebpur station, situated near Dhaka, to Ishurdi station in the western part of Bangladesh constitutes a critical link of the Trans-Asian Railway, facilitating connectivity between various cities in the northern and western regions of Bangladesh and Kolkata, India. Despite being equipped with double-gauge tracks to enhance interoperability, this section remains single-tracked. The volume of rail traffic passing through Joydebpur – Ishurdi railway showed a remarkable growth of 5.92% per annum on average for passengers and 9.48% on average for freight from 2013 to 2017. Consequently, despite a single-track capacity of 25 trains per day on the Joydebpur – Ishurdi section, the actual operation has been compelled to accommodate 36 trains daily to meet the surging demand, resulting in frequent delays due to exceeding the line capacity.
When completed, the Joydebpur – Ishurdi railway will enhance logistics capacity between the western part of the country and Dhaka, thereby improving connectivity within the country and with neighboring countries and is expected to promote the economic development in the entire region, including the local economy. This project is positioned as the top priority with the Jamuna Railway Dedicated Bridge in the Master Plan of Railways.
Joydebpur – Ishurdi railway will enhance transport capacity by double tracking of the existing rail between Joydebpur and Ishurdi, thereby contributing to economic development through improved connectivity within Bangladesh and with neighboring nations.
