BAGERHAT, APr 3 : Implementation of Rupsa-Mongla Railway Project, undertaken 33 years before, is still hanging in the balance due to unknown reasons, reports UNB.

According to official sources, development activities and smooth communication to and from Mongla Port have been hampering greatly as the implementation of the project was halted for three times.

The then government had included the project in the budget of 1965-66 financial year for the development of Mongla Port and improvement of the communication network.

With that view, a total of 100 acres of land had been acquired after site selection. The cost of the project was estimated at Tk 33.23 crore.

Construction of offices, rest house and other preliminary works involving Tk 50 lakh had been started. But the works could not be Completed due to unknown reasons.

After post-independence period. new initiatives were taken twice in 1976 and 1984 to implement the much needed project.

In 1976, four officials including an executive engineer were appointed for its successful implementation and later they were absorbed in other sections of the railway. The acquired land also was handed over to the Roads and Highways Department.

At last again the project was finally approved in the ECNEC meeting in 1984, but the works are yet to be started.