DHAKA: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi launched operation of the second Bhairab Bridge and second Titas Bridge on railway routes connecting Dhaka with Sylhet and Chittagong.

The two premiers inaugurated the bridges through a videoconference from Dhaka and New Delhi facilitating immigration process to ease Dhaka-Kolkata Moitree Train services.

Railway officials said the two new bridges were built as a second track for simultaneous operation of up and down train services from Dhaka to Chittagong and Sylhet.

Meanwhile, the two bridges have been opened.

Earlier, at around 11:30am, ‘Bandhan Express’ movement was launched on Khulna-Kolkata route along with customs and immigration functioning. 

A program was arranged under the Bhairab Rail Bridge, on occasion of the launching ceremony. Bangladesh Railway Minister Mujibul Haque linked with the programs of Dhaka and New Delhi from there.

However, the two railway bridges were constructed with the Indian Line of Credit (LoC). 

The 984-meter long and seven-meter width Bhairab Railway Bridge was built at a cost of Tk 567 crore, while its construction work began on December 25 in 2013 and ended last month. 

Under an agreement with Bangladesh government, India's Ircon-Afcons JV constructed the bridge having both dual gauge and broad-gauge facilities. 

The new Titas Bridge is 218-meter in length and 7-meter in width while it was built at a cost of Tk161.36 crore.

The construction work of the second Titas Bridge started on January 27 in 2014 and ended last month.

BDST: 1251 HRS, NOV 9, 2017
SI/SMS