"Bangladesh can build one Jamuna Bridge every four years If it can stop the enormous system loss in the power sector" said the World Bank Vice President during his recent visit here. Whether it is a reality is a different matter. But it is true that now a days phenomenal and revolutionary development has taken place in construction-technology and river-training. So a bridge can smoothly be constructed anywhere at half the cost than that of In the past, tn real value term.
Traffic in Bangladesh specially across the Jamuna is likely to increase and cargo traffic Is expected to change its pattern to a heavier nature. But Throughout the year there ts no. road for movement of heavier transports in the country. In dry season there is abrupt fall of water level in the Jamuna and due to silt a good number of shoals emerge impeding movement of ferries, while in wet season heavy rains and floods erode the roads.
The linked railways are required over the bridge. Unfortunately the proposed bridge provides for metre gauge railway tracks, it should be replaced by broad gauge ones. Without giving much weight to the patter of traffic particularly for near future, deciding the gauge of railway track ts not scientific. In our countiy 60 wagons of a goods train cost only one gallon of oil for one mile. For the same weight of goods as carried by 60 wagons, 240 trucks are needed, which need 21 gallons oil as fuel for one mile only. So the use of railway not only minimises the heavy pressure on the bridge but also saves time tremendously and makes the transportation of goods cheaper. For more speedy and heavy traffic, both the World Bank and the Railway author! ties know the preference of broad gauge railway over the metre gauge In respect of car tying capacity and speed. In fu ture. the oil stock may vanish and the coal perhaps will be the generator of power and the railways may be the only means of transportation to cover the longest route.
Our country is connected by the broad gauge tracks with the neighbouring countries.
Only broad gauge will serve International cross traffic in future. Besides, broad gauge is a must to connect Dhaka directly with 85% of Western region consisting of Rajshahi and Khulna divisions and the country’s single natural port Mongla without any Interruption and change over. In western region, jiite, sugar, newsprint mills, all the majority large scale Industries and the unexplored passive deposit sites of mineral resources are connected by broad gauge railway tracks. For marketing, the whole Western region is dependent on Dhaka and vice versa. It may be noted that in 1969 United Kingdom's "Free man fox and Partners" and in 1973 Japan's "International Co-operation Agency" in their survey reports recommended for broad gauge railway tracks on the proposed bridge.
The installation o[ broad gauge railway now needs to be -thought over wilh the provisions for turning it into the mixed gauge railway tracks. In future, within the same breadth of broad gauge track, one additional rail with the breadth of metre gauge needs to be installed. Thus, with the use of the three rails within the breadth of broad gauge, the mixed gauge tracks i.e the broad and metre gauge will be created.
At present mixed gauge railway tracks exist, since the British reign, between Parbatipur and Saidpur to facilitate the transportation of rolling slocks, engines of both broad and metre gauges to Saidpur Railway Workshop.
Within 1992-94, It is a must to provide the Western region with additional electricity and for the first time with gas to stop massive deforestation and desertification. So there was the plan to complete the construction of Jamuna Bridge by 1994-96. It Is undoubtedly a glaring test of the present democratic Government to collect funds for constructing Jamuna Bridge well In time.
Md. An want 1 Afzal. Ex Mcmbrr
Nations! Railway Consultative Committee.
Rantnsgar. Naogaon