A rail bridge on the Rupsa River has been developed and the project can be launched sometime this month. When the Rupsa Rail Bridge is commissioned, new horizons will open up in the trade and commerce of the region, with the port and EPZ gaining pace. It will be easy to transport goods to India, Nepal and Bhutan at a low cost. Moreover, local and foreign tourists can easily travel to the Sundarbans from different places.
Even though the bridge was constructed in September last year, train movement on the bridge could not begin in July as planned due to rain, officials said. The length of the railway track, including the loop line, is 91.87km. Out of this, 64.75km is a broad gauge line. Besides, 107 small bridges and nine underpasses have been constructed under the project. In the meantime, the authorities have conducted trial runs of trains on the line several times.
The main works of the project were the acquisition of 776.67 acres of land, the construction of a 64.75km main line from Khulna to Mongla Port, a 21.11km loop line, eight stations, 31 minor and major bridges, 112 culverts, the Rupsa rail bridge, viaducts on both sides of the bridge, a 200m RCC retaining wall, and water supply system.
In the southwest district of Khulna, multiple megaprojects are being implemented to develop rail and road connectivity for economic advancement. These remarkable initiatives include the Khulna-Mongla Rail Link Project, which connects Khulna with Mongla Port in Bagerhat. Two Indian firms are working on the Tk4,260 crore project, which is financed jointly by the two governments.
