Diesel electric train to be introduced in satellite towns of capital, port city by 2014

The government has taken an initiative to launch Diesel Electric Multiple Unit (DEMU) train in a bid to reduce traffic congestion as well as to serve the commuters residing in and around the capital and the port city of Chittagong.

With this objective, the government will procure 20 sets (3 units in one set) DEMU train through which at least 6,000 commuters will be able to travel at a time. The DEMU train routes will be Dhaka-Gazipur, Dhaka-Narayanganj, Dhaka-Narsingdi and Chittagong-Feni.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has recently approved a project titled `Procurement of 20 sets (3 unit in one set) DEMU’ at a cost of Tk 654.42 crore to be entirely borne from the government exchequer. The project is expected to be completed by June 2014.

Of the total project cost, an allocation of Tk 51.70 crore has been earmarked for the current fiscal, Tk 14.44 crore for 2011-12 fiscal, Tk 585.30 crore for 2012-13 fiscal and Tk 2.97 crore for the 2013-14 fiscal.

According to sources at the Bangladesh Railway, the DEMU is a modern and fast train communication system which will unveil a new era in the country’s rail communication. Once introduced, it is expected to reduce the traffic congestions of the satellite towns of Dhaka and Chittagong to some extent.

At the same time, it is also expected to replace the existing slow engines of the passenger trains apart from fulfilling the demand of fast running passenger trains on the Dhaka-Gazipur, Dhaka-Narayanganj, Dhaka-Narsingdi, and Chittagong-Feni routes.

Railway sources said that each of the DEMU could carry 100 passengers so as a set with three bogies would be able to carry 300 passengers. These DEMU trains are being introduced in the other big cities of the world to meet the growing demand of transport.

The Communication Ministry sources said that the DEMU train is suitable for operation in satellite towns. The speed of such train can be accelerated and reduced more speedily compared to other conventional mail and express trains.

The DEMU train can be operated in both ways without the need to turn round the engines. The units or bogies can also be separated or connected at a time.

Each DEMU train consists of three units - Driving Power Car (DPC), Trailer Car (TC) and Driving Trailer Car (DTC). The ideal structure of a DEMU train could be of one, two or three sets according to the traffic demand.

Planning Ministry sources said that the Pre-ECNEC (PEC) meeting on the project was held on October 27 last year. The project was included in the Annual Development Programme (ADP) of the current fiscal year without any allocation subject to getting foreign assistance. But, later the allocations entirely with government fund were proposed for consideration of the ECNEC.

Economic Relations Division (ERD) sources said that assistance was sought earlier from China for financing the project.

The ERD sent a proposal to China for financing of the project on March 9 last year, but as yet there is no response. Besides, the Roads and Railways Division also sent a loan proposal for Chinese government’s concessional loan on March 11 last year.
Meanwhile, it is also uncertain whether it will be possible to get any assistance from China or any other country in near future against the project.

-UNB