The construction of the Jamuna Railway Bridge, located 300 metres from the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge is nearly complete, with the first trial train successfully crossing it.
On Tuesday morning, the inaugural trial run was conducted, with the train starting at a speed of 10kmph, which was later increased to 20kmph and then 40kmph.
During the inaugural run, the train took 20 minutes to reach the western bank and returned in 10 minutes, crossing another trial train midway.
The driver of the train, Mainul Islam, expressed his delight, saying: "It was my dream to operate the first train. Fulfilling this dream feels truly rewarding."
Though the bridge was initially scheduled for inauguration in early or late December this year, the launch has been postponed. However, the trial runs will continue, and commercial train operations are expected to commence in January 2025.
According to Al Fattah Mohammad Masudur Rahman, project director of the Railway Bridge Project, trial runs will continue until Wednesday.
This railway bridge will allow uninterrupted passage for at least 88 trains daily, significantly reducing travel time by 20 to 30 minutes.
Additionally, new railway stations near the bridge’s eastern end in Bhuapur, Tangail, and the western end in Sirajganj are nearly complete.
The final touches on the bridge, including painting and polishing, are underway.
Designed for high-speed trains, the bridge will initially support speeds of 100–120kmph, with a maximum capacity of up to 250kmph in the future.
This capability is expected to save 20–30 minutes of travel time, addressing the existing constraints of the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge.
The project, which began with a budget of Tk9,734.7 crore in December 2016, has now risen to Tk16,780.96 crore due to extensions.
Of the total cost, 27.6% is funded domestically, while 72.4% is financed through a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).