Jumbangla Desk: As part of the modernization of the railways, the Ministry of Railways has taken up the project of rehabilitating 50 passenger carriages and coaches for the broad gauge line and another 50 for the meter gauge line. The project is expected to be completed within three years. Almost two and a half years have passed since then. But the rehabilitation work of none of the 100 compartments has not been completed.
According to the information of the Planning Commission, the '50 BG (Broad Gauge) and 50 MG (Meter Gauge) Passenger Carriage Rehabilitation Project for the Western Region of Bangladesh Railway' is at a standstill. About two and a half years or three-quarters of the project's duration, its physical progress is only 7 percent. The state of financial progress is even worse - only 0.19 percent! The project officials say that it will be possible to complete the work of at least 20 compartments by March next year.
According to information from the Ministry of Railways and the Planning Commission, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the implementation of the railway project for the period from June 1, 2022 to June 30, 2025. The total cost of implementation is 1 thousand 384 crore 46 lakh 91 thousand taka. The railway carriage rehabilitation project includes various other components including the railway operating system.
A meeting of the Project Steering Committee (PSC) was held in the conference room of the Railway Building on October 3. Railway Secretary Abdul Baki presided over the meeting. He said that the existing operating system of Bangladesh Railway should be updated and brought to digital monitoring system. This work will be done through open tender process. LED lights should be used instead of adding electric lamps for cost savings. Apart from this, it should be verified that it is possible to reduce the cost in any item of the project.
In response to a question in the PSC meeting, the project director said that it will be possible to rehabilitate 20 coaches before Eid, i.e. by March next year. Discussions have been held with the Rector Inventory Control and BRASS Developers to update the existing operating system of Railways and implement digital monitoring system through BRASS.
In the meeting, the representative of the General Economics Department (GED) of the Planning Commission said that it is necessary to know whether the QR code is being kept in the digital monitoring system or the goods are limited to input in the computer. The representative of the Operations Department asked to clarify whether there is a need to have a digital monitoring system despite the existing monitoring system.
The Additional Secretary (Planning) of the Ministry of Railways said in the meeting that the DPP did not mention the issue of doing the digital monitoring system through single sources selection. Planning Commission's approval will be required in this regard.
Director General of Railways Sardar Shahadat Ali said, if digital monitoring system is to be implemented through single source selection, legal complications, tender variations, etc. will have to be undertaken at various stages. Joint Secretary (Planning) of Railways said that the digital monitoring system will be done through open tender process.
The Additional Director General of Railways (Rolling Stock) said that the intercity trains currently operating in Bangladesh Railway are above 365 kW. They are obsolete. It was not feasible to allocate resources to purchase diesel generators of 66 kVA capacity in DPP. It would have been better if the resources for purchasing diesel generators of 60 to 70 KVA capacity had been placed in the DPP.
In this regard, the project director said, DPP has the resources to add common electric lights to the compartments. But now the state-of-the-art LED lights are being used in coaches. Administrative approval is required in this case. Doing so will save costs.
The project director also said that the tender process of 25 packages has been completed for the procurement of goods required for the rehabilitation of bogies in the project. Contracts have been signed with suppliers for 17 lots. Re-tenders have been invited for eight lots. A monthly action plan has been taken for the coach rehabilitation of the project. 40 coaches are scheduled for rehabilitation this year.
