The regular train passengers on the Dhaka-Narayanganj route have become worried over the possible suffering as the train services, their reliable mean of communication, will remain suspended from Sunday.
In a press release issued on Wednesday, the Ministry of Railways said that currently, construction of three separate railway lines from Dhaka to Gendaria part is going on under the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project.
To expedite the construction, train movement on the Dhaka-Narayanganj route will remain suspended from December 4, read the release.
The railway authorities did not mention when the rail services will resume but some officials told the UNB correspondent that it will take at least three months to complete the work.
The Ministry of Railways has regretted the temporary inconvenience to the passengers.
About 30,000 passengers travel between the two cities by 26 trains that operate daily on the 12.1km long Dhaka-Narayanganj railway.
After the suspension of train service, the only mean of communication between Narayanganj and Dhaka will be the Dhaka-Narayanganj link road where construction and repairs are underway.
“This means more trouble and expenses for daily passengers,” said Raj Razak, a regular traveller from Narayanganj.
“Those who use Dhaka-Narayanganj train service on a regular basis should submit a memorandum to the railway authorities for not suspending the rail operation considering the hassle it will bring for thousands of people.”
Another passenger Md Al Mamun said the authorities could have kept the service open till Pagla or Shyampur from Narayanganj rather than closing the whole route.
The Padma Bridge rail link will be constructed as a 169km dual gauge line spending Tk 40,000 crore.
The Dhaka-Narayanganj railway line and the Padma Bridge project railway line from Kamalapur station run side by side up to Gendaria. From there, the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project will go up to Jashore through Keraniganj, Srinagar in Munshiganj, Mawa, via Bhanga junction in Faridpur.
Besides, the existing Dhaka-Narayanganj meter gauge line from Kamalapur to Gendaria will be upgraded to a dual gauge one spending Tk 600 crore.
