Dhaka: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved a project to convert Akhaura-Sylhet railway into dual-gauge one from metre-gauge rail line with an estimated cost of Tk 16,104.44 crore.

The approval came at the Ecnec meeting held at the NEC conference room with Ecnec Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, reports the UNB.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said the meeting okayed seven projects involving total estimated cost of Tk 18,191 crore.

Of the total estimated cost, Tk 6,622.43 crore will come from government fund, while Tk Tk 11,568.95 crore from foreign sources as project loan, he said.

All the approved seven projects are new ones.

About the railway project, the Planning Minister said, ‘The Conversion of the Meter-Gauge Rail line of Akhaura-Sylhet Section into the dual-gauge Rail Line project will be implemented by June 2025 by the Bangladesh Railway.

The Chinese government will finance Tk 10,654.36 crore on G-to-G basis to implement the project, while the rest of the project cost of Tk 5,450.08 crore will come from the government fund.

Under the project, the existing 225-kilometre mater gauge railway track under the Akhaura-Sylhet section will be converted into a 239.14-kilometre dual gauge track.

Besides, the other major project operations include construction of 49 major and 237 minor bridges, signalling works at 22 stations, construction of 16,690 square metre residential building and some 200.30 acres of land acquisition.