The Dhaka-Tongi-Joydebpur railway expansion project continues to crawl in its implementation stage, becoming a prime example of an unplanned development endeavour.
Over the course of a decade, the project has faced numerous challenges, resulting in soaring costs and a sluggish pace of progress.
The Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED), in a comprehensive report, highlighted several flaws in the construction works. It revealed that the expansion project was initiated without a feasibility study or a clearly defined scope of work.
Originally scheduled for completion in 2015, the project’s deadline has been extended to June 2027, with costs skyrocketing from an initial estimate of Tk 848.60 crore in 2012 to Tk 3,342.55 crore.
Due to complications arising from design and tender processes, physical work on the project commenced in 2019. At the current rate of progress, which averages just 10 per cent completion per year, the project is projected to be completed in 2028.
The objective of the project was to enhance the railway capacity by constructing third and fourth dual-gauge railway lines on the Dhaka-Tongi route, as well as a second dual-gauge line on the Tongi-Joydebpur route. This expansion would significantly increase the capacity of the vital section connecting the capital, Dhaka, with other parts of the country’s rail network.
According to the IMED report, as of May 2023, the project had achieved a progress rate of 63.75 per cent, falling considerably short of the revised target of 86.36 per cent completion. This setback can be attributed to the original Development Project Proposal (DPP) being approved without conducting a feasibility study.
The report further highlighted discrepancies in adhering to the fiscal year-wise action plans. The first revised work plan, designed for a five-year period, exhibited inconsistencies with the amended DPP. Moreover, the construction activities of the First Dhaka Elevated Expressway by the Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) have impeded the railway expansion project. Once the pillar construction work of the expressway is completed, the embankment work for the railway expansion project can commence. Consequently, the contractor company has yet to get the necessary land to initiate their work.
In terms of financial management, there has been a disparity between the allotted budget and the actual expenditure across different fiscal years. Between 2012 and 2017, the target allocation was Tk 1,123.62 crore, but only Tk 13.78 crore was allocated, and the authorities managed to spend 708.83 crore. In the fiscal year 2022-2023, the allocation was 253.55 crore, but as of May 2023, only Tk 125.0794 crore (49.33% of the allocation) has been utilised.
The IMED recently conducted a site visit for the Dhaka-Tongi-Joydebpur railway expansion project and made some concerning observations. They discovered that the project had violated contract provisions by using oversized ballast. Specifically, during their visit to the Tongi-Joydebpur section, they found that 10.56 km of construction work had been completed using this improper ballast size. Upon notifying the project director, the team instructed the contractor to replace the oversized ballast with the recommended size.
The use of oversized ballast can lead to significant issues. When the ballast is not of the proper size, it tends to become loose from the ballast cushion. This compromises the compactness of the ballast, resulting in reduced riding quality and even the potential for derailments.
During their assessment, the team measured the thickness of the ballast cushion at five different locations and found it to be 180-210mm thinner than what was prescribed in the project documents. According to standard practice, the ballast cushion should have a minimum thickness of 250mm. Additionally, the main line’s ballast cushion, as per the design and specifications, was on average 49mm or 19.60% less than the standard.
The IMED also discovered that the site laboratory had insufficient facilities, making it incapable of ensuring the quality of materials used for the project. Furthermore, there were concerns about the negligence of officials in testing concrete cubes.
The IMED found no proper testing was conducted for the concrete cubes and it felt that that the other materials used may not meet the quality standards outlined in the construction contract. They recommended collecting samples and conducting tests to verify the quality of the materials.
To rectify the situation, the IMED recommended the removal of the oversized ballast and its replacement with properly graded ballast to ensure a qualified ballast track.
The team also emphasised the need for a reexamination of the quality of the ballast, rail, and sleeper by the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology.
Overall, these findings highlight the importance of adhering to contract provisions and conducting thorough quality checks to maintain the integrity and safety of the railway expansion project.
