Tongi-Bhairab-Akhaura Line

 Tongi-Bhairab-Akhaura Line 
Track gauge: Metre gauge 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in)
Legend
to Narayanganj-Bahadurabad Ghat Line
Tongi
Tongi-Kaliaganj Highway
Pubail
Nolchhata
Tongi-Kaliaganj Highway
Arikhola
Shitalakshya River
Palash-Ghorashal Road
Ghorashal
Jinardi
Pachdona-Charsindur Road
N2 Dhaka-Sylhet Highway
Narsinghdi
Arial Khan River
Amirganj
Khanabari
Mathikanda
Shrinidhi
Doulatkandi
Old channel of Brahmaputra River
Bhairab Bazar
Meghna River
Ashuganj
Talshohor
Comilla-Sylhet Road
Brahmanbaria
Titas River
Bhatsala
Akhaura
to Akhaura-Laksam-Chittagong Line
to Akhaura-Kulaura-Chhatak Line

Source: Bangladesh Railway Route Map

The Tongi-Bhairab-Akhaura Line is a railway line connecting Tongi and Akhaura, via Bhairab Bazar in Bangladesh. There is a branch line from Bhairab Bazar to Mymensingh via Gouripur. These tracks are under the jurisdiction of Bangladesh Railway.

Contents

History

In response to the demand of the Assam tea planters for a railway link to Chittagong port, Assam Bengal Railway started construction of a railway track on the eastern side of Bengal in 1891. A 150 kilometres (93 mi) track between Chittagong and Comilla was opened to traffic in 1895. The Comilla-Akhaura-Kalaura-Badarpur section was opened in 1896-1898 and finally extended to Lumding in 1903. In an effort to link this line running on the eastern bank of the Meghna with the rail system on the western bank of the Meghna, the Tongi-Akhaura line came up between 1910 and 1914. However, there was no bridge across the Meghna at that time.[1][2][3]

Bhairab Railway Bridge

The bridge over the Meghna River, popularly known as the Bhairab Railway Bridge, was opened on 6 December 1937 enabling through communication between Dhaka and Chittagong.[4][5]

See also: Bhairab Railway Bridge photograph

In November 2011, the Bangladesh Railway signed an agreement with two Indian private companies for the feasibility study, detail design and preparation of tender documents for the construction of the second Bhairab Rail Bridge across the Meghna and second rail bridge across the Titas River.[6]

The 1.2 kilometres (0.75 mi) long Bangladesh-UK Friendship Bridge, completed in 2002, carries the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway across the Meghna between Bhairab Bazar and Ashuganj.[7]

Developments

Bangladesh Railway signed a deal with a Chinese firm in July 2011 for doubling the 64 kilometres (40 mi) single-line Tongi-Bhairab Bazar track. It is expected to be completed by 2014. Doubling of the 71 kilometres (44 mi) Akhaura-Laksam section was initiated in 2007. [8]

Bhairab Bazar-Kishoreganj-Gouripur-Mymensingh Line

While the Narayanganj-Bahadurabad Ghat Line runs along the southern bank of the old channel of the Brahmaputra River, the Bhairab Bazar-Kishoreganj-Gouripur-Mymensingh Line covers the northern bank of the river.

The Mymensingh-Bhairab Bazar Railway Company constructed this line between 1912 and 1918. It was acquired by the government in 1948-49 and the Assam Bengal Railway Company was in charge of the management of theline.[1] There are two lines branching out of this line - a short Shyamganj-Jaria Janjail Line and a long Gouripur-Netrokona-Mohanganj Line.[1]For details of the latter line see Narayanganj-Bahadurabad Ghat Line#Netrakona-Mohanganj

References

  1. ^ a b c "Railway". Banglapaedia. http://www.banglapedia.org/httpdocs/HT/R_0048.HTM. Retrieved 2011-12-16. 
  2. ^ "Report on the administration of North East India (1921-22)". p. 46. Google Books/ Mttal Publishers Distributors. http://books.google.co.in/books?id=pL_GfLfK3lYC&pg=PA46&lpg=PA46&dq=Cachar+railway+sylhet&source=bl&ots=hqbBrkrdJ0&sig=U-ZmcExcKXFDjANjGIRUU1ZU4sI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=NpDwTrHeJOytiQfk5uWrAQ&sqi=2&ved=0CDYQ6AEwBA#v=onepage&q=Cachar%20railway%20sylhet&f=false. Retrieved 2011-12-16. 
  3. ^ S.N.Singh, Amarendra Narain, Purnendu Kumar. "Socio Economic and Political Problems of Tea Garden Workers: A Study of Assam, Published 2006, ISBN 81-8324-098-4". p. 105. Mittal Publications, New Delhi. http://books.google.co.in/books?id=7OsLGZKYP5MC&pg=PA105&lpg=PA105&dq=Cachar+railway+sylhet&source=bl&ots=sSBYlLr6q9&sig=KfFp_fBeCbV9h9KPBw5FSRfhd_E&hl=en&sa=X&ei=j5PwTtf7OcHWrQey9oToDw&ved=0CC8Q6AEwAzgK#v=onepage&q=Cachar%20railway%20sylhet&f=false. Retrieved 2011-12-16. 
  4. ^ "Railway". Banglapaedia. http://www.banglapedia.org/httpdocs/HT/R_0048.HTM. Retrieved 2011-12-16. 
  5. ^ "Bridges of Banglaesh – Bhairab Rail Bridge". http://bdbridges.blogspot.com/2010/08/bhairab-railway-bridge.html. Retrieved 2011-12-16. 
  6. ^ "Deal on 2nd Bhairab, Titas rail bridges construction signed". Pakistan Defence. http://www.defence.pk/forums/bangladesh-defence/141343-deal-2nd-bhairab-titas-rail-bridges-construction-signed.html. Retrieved 2011-12-16. 
  7. ^ "Bhairab Bridge, Bangladesh". Halcrow. http://www.halcrow.com/Our-projects/Project-details/Bhairab-Bridge-Bangladesh/. Retrieved 2011-12-16. 
  8. ^ "Tongi-Bhairab Double Tracks: Railway signs deal with Chinese firm". The Daily Star, 28 July 2011. http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=196089. Retrieved 2011-12-16.