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5 years ago

Problems grip work on Ctg-Cox's Bazar railway

Land acquisition, logging, power line removal still stand in its way

A representational image -- Collected
A representational image -- Collected

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A high-level committee has identified multiple problems that impede the timely implementation of the much-hyped rail project to link Cox's Bazar.

Felling trees in a 207-acre forest along a 15-kilometre stretch of the rail line and removal of power lines have become major challenges to do the job in time.

The implementation committee of the Dohazari-Ramu-Cox's Bazar-Gundum single-track rail project made these observations in its recent meeting.

About logging, the meeting was told that the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change has declared 207 acres of forest as 'de-reserved'.

But the project implementor cannot fell trees as it requires permission from the Cabinet Division, thus failing to start infrastructural work on the forest land.

Even required funds were deposited to the agencies concerned, but no visible progress is yet to remove 11 kVA, 33 kVA and 132 kVA power lines from the site.

It was also told that railway department had proposed government and autonomous agencies like roads and highways, and agriculture department to hand over 21.035 acres of land to the project.

The agencies concerned should be pursued repeatedly to get the land quickly, the minutes of the meeting said.

According to the meeting, the process of paying compensation against land acquisition is also slow.

The project has acquired 364 acres of land in Chattogram and 1,002 acres in Cox's Bazar for the purpose.

Because of this delay, landowners often disrupt building work, officials concerned told the meeting with Bangladesh railway director general in the chair.

The scheme also hit a snag while acquiring land from Varuakhali Ashrayan project as many landowners there did not have proper ownership documents.

The Tk 11.05-billion (1,105 crore) project is being executed in two lots-the first lot covers 31.30 kilometres and the second 36.75 kilometres.

Work on the construction of 30 out of 39 bridges, has already begun, the meeting was told.

The detailed project proposal of the first phase from Dohajari to Cox's Bazar was approved in 2016.

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