The Khulna-Mongla railway line is fully ready for train movement, and the project is set to be inaugurated on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi are set to formally inaugurate the project virtually.
A trial train run is scheduled for 2pm on Monday from Phultala.
Ahmed Hossain Masum, chief engineer of the Khulna-Mongla railway line project said the railway line is fully ready for train movement, but there is some finishing work to be done. They will be completed soon.
Rafiqul Haque, assistant engineer of the project, said the locals have been informed of Monday’s train movement via loudspeakers, so they can be aware of the situation.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is also scheduled to address a rally for the upcoming 12th national polls in Khulna on November 11.
On December 21, 2010, the Executive Committee on the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved the railway line project. The cost of the first phase of the project is estimated at Tk1,721 crore.
The project started in 2011. The work was supposed to be completed by December 2013, but the contractor could not complete it.
As the project work was not completed within the stipulated time, the expenditure in the first amendment increased to Tk3,801 crore.
Then the project was supposed to be completed in December 2021, but it was not possible.
After the second round of amendments, the deadline was extended till December 31, 2022 and the expenditure increased to Tk4,260.88 crore