Pahartali Carriage and Wagon Repair Workshop of Bangladesh Railway East Zone has been going through modernisation after a long period.
The railway authorities took the initiative for its development at a cost of Tk217.88 crore.
The project titled “Improvement of Pahartali Workshop” officially started in July 1, 2007 and it deadline was set by June, 2017.
However, the BR authorities failed to get the project rolling till 2014 due to unavailability of qualified bidders for the task. Consequently, the project’s sponsor Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had decided to take back the fund.
On January 20 this year, the ECNEC approved the Revised Development Proposal (RDPP) involving Tk217.88 crore of which Debt Relief Grant Aid of Japan will allocate Tk175 crore and the government will give the rest.
As per the RDPP, the project is divided into three packages -- Building and Civil Engineering Works, Track Rehabilitation Works and Supply, Installation and Commissioning of New Plants and Machinery.
On September 30, Toma Construction and Company and Ms Nur-e-Elahi and Brothers secured contract for the first two packages. Currently, the process of selecting contractor for the third package is underway. And, the BR authorities are going to float a tender for it.
When asked, Project Director Harun-ar-Rashid, said: “Under this mega project, the infrastructure of the shops will be developed, old machinery will be replaced with modern equipment, the drainage system and damaged railway tracks will be repaired.”
“With the present capacity, the workshop is struggling to carry out the routine maintenance and repair works of as many as 930 coaches, above 7,000 freight trains and 154 locomotives under the East Zone that covers Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet divisions,” added Rashid who is also Chief Mechanical Engineer of the zone.
“Productivity and efficiency of the workshop will be enhanced to a great extent with its completion. We are working hard to get the project rolling as early as possible,” hoped the Project Director.
In 1947, Pahartali Workshop was establishment and its machinery became outdated in course of time. As a result, the ramshackle state has been hampering the maintenance works.
Wishing not to be named, a senior official there said: “During rainy season, the workshop’s shops go under water because of the poor drainage system occasionally forcing to suspend repair works. Even fire related accidents are prevalent there. Large holes developed in the 26 tin-shed shops, letting rainwater into the machinery.”
