The highly-anticipated trial run of the newly built dual gauge line of the Laksam-Lalmai section has begun. The trial is being run by Light locomotive-2771 and Max's Gangkar. Railway East Zone AGM Sardar Shahadat Ali said Lalmai from Laksam line is now fully equipped for train movement.
At the same time, the work of transformation of the old line and the conversion of dual gauge is being started very soon. As a result, the officials of the Railway East Zone are hopeful for the future of the railway. They said that due to the introduction of this line, the speed of the railway will increase on the Dhaka-Chittagong and Chittagong-Sylhet routes.
Railways sources said that the cost of construction of Rail East Zone dual gauge railway line was estimated at Tk 6,504 crores. The project of constructing a 72-kilometer double line from Akhaura in Brahmanbaria to Laksham of Comilla was undertaken in 2014. After the project was amended, the plan changed to build a double line from Akhaura to Laksham as well as to dual gauge.
At the same time, a project of converting 320 km of existing meter gauge railways to dual gauge from Dhaka to Chittagong has been undertaken. In total, a total dual gauge line of 184 kilometers has been constructed.
Additional General Manager of Railway East Zone Sardar Shahadat Ali said that the trial run has begun on the Laksam-Lalmai Dual Gauge line from Saturday. Lalmai is now suitable for train movement from Laksam. He also stated that there is more construction work left but they will be completed soon.