The Bangladesh Railway (BR) has reopened three busy rail stations in and around Dhaka city more than five months after their closure.
During the period, renovation and security fencing work was done to restrict the embarkation of passengers without tickets.
The BR closed Airport, Joydevpur and Narsingdi stations to check passenger rush amid coronavirus pandemic as these stations are notorious for illegal boarding of passengers into trains and on rooftops.
Boarding without valid travel papers usually takes place during peak hour and public holidays.
Railways minister Nurul Islam Sujon inaugurated airport station on Thursday evening, simultaneously reopening Narsingdi and Joydevpur stations for letting all trains to pick and drop passengers.
As the BR has made a move to gradually resume all train services, the renovation of rail stations is likely to play a significant role in checking illegal boarding.
Sources said the BR is yet to check illegal boarding fully for having not completed work at Tongi station, which too is notorious for travellers without tickets.
The state-run rail operator has decided to restart all intercity trains and commuter as well as mail trains.
As part of the plan, it will resume the services of 84 more local, mail, commuter and express trains by September 16.
The remaining 144 trains will be resumed gradually.
Officials said renovation work on Tongi station is being carried out under the Dhaka-Tongi third and fourth line development project which would take more than a year for completion.
Three stations have been renovated to modernise facilities, including levelling all metre- and broad-gauge train stairs with platforms for comfortable embarkation by passengers.
The BR said 55,000 square-feet platform of airport station was upgraded and uplifted to the level of train.
Again, 15,000-sqft fencing and 21,000-sqft fencing renovation and 13,000-sqft access control fencing along with four barriers at Ashkona and Koshaibari level crossing have also been done.
On the other hand, 25,700-sqft access control fencing was developed at Narsingdi station, construction of entry and exit gates and four barrier gates were set up to check illegal passengers.
Joydevpur station has been renovated with a 6,965-sqft brick wall with barbed wire and a 2,800-sqft brick wall with grill fencing, two barrier gates and two entry and exit gates.
