US pvt co keen to build sky rail line in Bangladesh

A US private transport company has expressed its eagerness to set up sky rail lines from Narayanganj to Joydevpur and Sadarghat to Savar at a cost of over Taka 50 billion to facilitate transportation system of the country. The company-American Transport System Corporation (ATSC) -- has already talked to the authorities of Equalizer, a local private firm, to implement the project on a partnership basis, concerned sources said in Dhaka.

A six-member delegation led by the chairman of ATSC is expected to arrive in Dhaka on February 6 to discuss the project with the concerned government authorities, said chairman of Equalizer M. Younusuzzaman in the city.

Talking to newsmen at the National Press Club, he said according to the proposal submitted earlier to the Board of Investment (BOI) nearly 100-kilometre rail lines will be set up under the project that includes 40-km line from Narayanganj to Joydevpur, nearly 40-km from Sadarghat to Savar and 20-km circular rail line. "Initially, the project cost has been estimated at Taka 50 billion," he said, adding that if the proposal is accep ted by the government, the project would be built in a BOT (Built-Operation and Transfer) basis.

Giving a salient feature of the scheme, he said under the project a 50-megawatt power plant will be set up for meeting electricity requirements to run trains between the routes. The passengers from each stations will be able to avail train in every three minutes.

He said after the government approval, the project would be completed within four years and one million people will be transited every day with the introduction of the "Light Rail Way Transport (LRT)" system. Apart from this, some 3,000 new jobs would be created in the project.

Younusuzzaman said although the ATSC would be the main investor of the project, its other sister concerns, including Vince Construction Company of UK, Bombardier of Germany and Systra of the Philippines, will be involved with the implementation of the total project.

"Initial discussion between local partner Equalizer and main investor ATSC has been completed to this end. Now the foreign investing companies will discuss the project with the government," he added.

M. Anwarul Quaium, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Equalizer said the rail line will be constructed on the existing road divider and the height of the rail line will be 33 feet. "We have floated the idea as introduction of much-talked about metro tube is not feasible for the country due to its soil condition," he added.

He said after full implementation of the project, the traffic congestion in the city will be eased as well as pressure on the capital city will be reduced significantly. The ATSC has constructed light rail transport line in India, Taiwan, South Korea, Philippines and Malaysia. In New York, over five million people are being transited t hrough sky rail line every day.