Chattogram: Mayor of Chattogram City Corporation (CCC), Dr. Shahadat Hossain, announced that the implementation of the monorail project will significantly reduce traffic congestion in the port city.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the monorail project is expected to provide residents with a convenient, safe, punctual, and comfortable mode of transportation, ultimately saving time and boosting the city’s economy. The City Corporation is supporting the project to transform Chattogram into a smart and eco-friendly city, as stated by the mayor during a coordination meeting on the feasibility study of the monorail project held at the CCC Rest house.
The meeting saw the attendance of key figures, including Amir Humayun Mahmud Chowdhury, President of the Greater Chattogram Economic Forum, Faisal Rahman, Chief Coordinator of the Monorail Project, Kausar Ahmed Chowdhury, Country Director of Arab Contractors and Orascom Construction Company, Kamran Anwar Nagiv, Project Consultant, and Abu Sadat Md. Tayyab, Superintending Engineer and Coordinator of the CCC for the project.
Discussions during the meeting highlighted the examination of four possible routes for the monorail. These include a 26.5-kilometer stretch from Kalurghat to the airport, a 13.5-kilometer route from City Gate to Shaheed Bashiruzzaman Chattar, and a 14.5-kilometer path from Oxygen to Firingi Bazar. Additionally, a 10.9 km railway line will be constructed from the city gate to Nimtala Parajant.
The delegation mentioned that Orascom would provide a profit of at least TK 5 per passenger to the city corporation upon the project’s launch. The project will be executed under a Public-Private Ownership Transfer (PPOT) system, with an estimated total cost of around TK 30 thousand crore.
Initially, the company will operate the project for 20-25 years before transferring it to the city corporation. Approximately 50 acres of land will be needed for maintenance, including the central station and storage facilities. The monorail will require 30-35 megawatts of electricity daily for its operation.
The feasibility study is projected to take 7-8 months, with construction anticipated to last 3-4 years.