Railway authorities have completed repair work on the flood-damaged tracks and are preparing to restart operations after a four-day suspension caused by waterlogging.
Railway workers repair flood-damaged tracks on the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar route. Photo: Collected
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Railway workers repair flood-damaged tracks on the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar route. Photo: Collected
Highlights
- Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar train services may resume tomorrow
- Flood-damaged tracks repaired after four-day suspension
- Waterlogging halted services since Tuesday (7 July)
- Around 300 metres of tracks underwent restoration work
- Four trains faced cancellations or partial journey disruptions
- Railway prioritised passenger safety amid flooded tracks
Train services on the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar route are expected to resume from tomorrow (12 July) after being suspended for several days due to waterlogging caused by heavy rainfall.
Railway officials said preparations are underway to restart operations after repair work on the damaged railway tracks was completed.
Chattogram Divisional Transport Officer Md Farhan Mahmud shared the information today (11 July) after inspecting the affected tracks near the Medical Gate area under Chandgaon Police Station in Chattogram.
“Train services on the Cox’s Bazar route have remained suspended since Tuesday afternoon (7 July) as water rose over the tracks. We inspected the affected areas today and completed repairs where problems were found. If everything goes as planned, train operations are expected to resume from tomorrow,” he told The Business Standard.
According to Bangladesh Railway, floodwaters washed away some ballast (stones beneath the tracks), but the main railway line was not bent or significantly damaged.
Several teams are currently working at the site to restore the tracks. As part of the repair work, around 300 metres of affected railway track is being raised by up to one-and-a-half feet in some places, while displaced ballast is being replaced.
Railway authorities expect the restoration work to be completed by tomorrow, making the route suitable for train operations again.
Train services on the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar route were suspended from Tuesday after heavy rainfall caused severe waterlogging in several areas, submerging parts of the railway line, including near Muradpur Sunnia Madrasa in Chattogram city.
The Tourist Express train remained stranded at Sholoshahar Station for nearly eight hours before being brought back to Chattogram Railway Station. Its journey to Cox’s Bazar was later cancelled.
The disruption affected four trains in total. The Probal Express from Chattogram to Cox’s Bazar and the Saikat Express from Cox’s Bazar to Chattogram had their journeys completely cancelled.
Meanwhile, parts of the journeys of the Cox’s Bazar Express and Tourist Express were cancelled, with railway authorities arranging alternative transport for passengers.
On Wednesday (8 July), Railways State Minister Habibur Rashid visited the affected area and explained the decision to suspend train services on the route.
“Passenger safety is the government’s highest priority. Water had accumulated up to nearly two feet in some parts of the railway track. Operating trains in such conditions could have created a serious risk of accidents,” he said.
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