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Bangladesh Railway (BR) has signed a contract with an Indian joint venture (JV) company to construct two more dual gauge lines between Dhaka and Tongi and another line between Tongi and Joydebpur.
Additional Director General of Bangladesh Railway Mohammad Rafiqul Alam and Vice President of Efkon India Onup Kumar Guru signed the contract on Tuesday on behalf of their respective sides at Rail Bhaban in the city in presence of Railway Minister Mujibul Haque.
Under the Tk 13.93 billion project, Efkon India and Kalpataru Power Transmission Ltd will develop the 3rd and 4th dual gauge lines between Dhaka and Tongi and 2nd dual gauge line from Tongi to Joydebpur within 36 months.
Officials said both the railway lines are being constructed under the Indian Line of Credit (LoC).
After completion of the construction work, they said, the capacity of Dhaka-Tongi corridor up to Joydebpur will increase significantly.
Dhaka-Tongi is the main corridor to operate different trains in eastern and western railway zones.
Speaking on the occasion, the railway minister said as all the trains use Dhaka-Tongi as entry and exit points, the project has enormous importance for increasing the number of trains.
Two more railway lines will help BR operate trains in less time, he added.
The minister also said the government is implementing many projects under the Indian LoC which include Bogura-Sirajganj and Khulna-Darshana double line, Parbatipur-Kawnia railway line and Syedpur Workshop.
Rail Secretary M Mofazzal Hossain, Director General M Amzad Hossain and representatives of contractors, Indian Exim Bank and railway officials were also present at the signing ceremony.