Secretary Md Humayun Kabir of railway ministry said a 500-metre section of the newly built Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar railway tracks has been damaged due to the flood.
Efforts are underway to complete the necessary repairs by October.
Once the repairs are completed, a trial run of the train is scheduled to begin in the first week of October, and the full train service is expected to be inaugurated in the last week of the same month.
The secretary came up with the statement after he inspected the affected railway line in the Satkania-Temuhani section of the Dohazari-Cox's Bazar railway on Friday.
Attributing the damage to unprecedented rainfall and landslides, the secretary said that the project was undertaken after considering data from the past 100 years. From feasibility studies to various tests, construction is progressing.
If necessary, the railway line will be elevated and additional culverts will be constructed to avoid similar issues, said the secretary.
Md Humayun Kabir clarified that none of the railway line's sleepers were bent. While there might appear to be some bending from a distance, the 7-tonne sleepers were slightly sagged due to shifting rocks underneath.
Vigilance is being maintained in this regard. Throughout the railway line's construction, every component was tested and approved for use. Negligence could have caused the railway line to shift or crack during flooding.
The secretary highlighted this project as a significant achievement for Bangladesh Railway. The project is a nationwide aspiration, endorsed by the Prime Minister to minimize public inconvenience.
Initial observation indicates around 500-metre of the railway line sustained flood damage.
Technical teams are working to assess the extent of the damage and determine appropriate solutions. The timeline for these solutions cannot be specified at the moment without further consultation, he said.
Md Humayun Kabir assured that repair work on the damaged railway section will commence shortly, without requiring additional funding. The inauguration of the railway and train operations is expected to begin in October.
