PM Hasina to inaugurate Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar rail line on Nov 11

Prime Minister Sheikh is expected to inaugurate the much anticipated Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar Rail Line on November 11, but it will be opened to traffic on December 1.

Md Siraj-Ud-Doula Khan, public relations officer of the Railway Ministry, confirmed the development to UNB on Thursday.

Earlier there was a schedule to inaugurate the rail line on November 12, but a day was advanced to open it on  November 11, he said, adding that trains carrying passengers will operate from December 1.

The decision to advance the inaugural date was taken upon consent from Railway Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujan, the public relations officer added.

According to the project officials, under the project a 102-km new dual gauge single railway line from Dohazari to Cox‍‍`s Bazar has been built at a cost of Tk 18,000 crore.

Already an Oyster-shaped international standard railway station has been built in Cox’s Bazar town and seven more stations from Dohazari to Cox’s Bazar have been built while an overpass was also constructed to facilitate the movement of elephants and other wild animals as the rail line crosses a reserved forest area.

A spectacular iconic railway station has been constructed on 29 acres of land in the Hajipara area of Jhelongja Union, seven kilometers east-north of Cox‍‍`s Bazar Sadar, said the project director.

The area of the six-storey station building is 1,82,000 square feet. Three platforms of 650 metres in length and 12 metres in width have been constructed near the iconic building.

Besides, a railway residential area has been built next to it. Apart from residential hotels, the station also has facilities like canteen, lockers and car parking.

Tourists can leave their luggage in the station lockers and spend the day at the beach. At least 46,000 people can travel through this station a day, the project director added.

On April 3, 2011, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone for the construction of the railway between Dohazari-Ramu-Cox‍‍`s Bazar and Ramu-Ghumdhum.