The West Zone of Bangladesh Railway earned revenue worth around Taka 3.96 billion during the first nine months of the current 2018-19 fiscal year, a sharp rise of Taka 127.7 million than that of over the same period of the previous 2017-18 fiscal.
According to a BSS report, among the total earning, Taka 1.14 billion was earned by selling tickets to passengers while Taka 1.19 billion from goods and other parcels transportation. Taka 3.83 billion was earned as revenue in first nine months of 2017-18 fiscal.
Shah Newaz, Chief Commercial Manager of the west zone, said the zone, covering Rajshahi, Rangpur and Khulna divisions, has been operating 159 trains, including 50 intercity and some inter-country ones, on different routes, including the capital city of Dhaka and Kolkata of India at present.
Forty-six locals or shuttle and sixty-three commuter or mail trains are also being operated on various routes which are very popular among the passengers, he added.
He stated that the number of passengers of intercity trains on various routes has increased significantly in the last couple of years.
Considering the benefit of the passengers in general, he said 31 major stations have been brought under the modern computerised seat reservation and ticketing system. Some of those including Rajshahi have launched ticket selling and seat reservation through online system.
Shah Newaj, however, said the revenue earning could be enhanced to a greater extent if the stations which remain dysfunctional are re-launched as early as possible.
Ahsan Ullah Bhuiyan, Additional Chief Operating Superintendent, said there are 76 out of total 238 stations remained inoperative for long due to various problems including shortage of stationmasters, points man, shunting man, booking clerk and other necessary staffs.
At present, there are 249 vacant posts of station master out of 559 while 254 points-man posts out of 695.
“We have installed computer based interlocking colour light signaling system in Chatmohar, Jamtoil, Bangabandhu Bridge West and Bangabandhu Bridge East stations on Ishwardi-Joydevpur section,” said Asim Kumar Talukder, Chief Signal and Telecom Engineer.
The modern system has ensured security to train operation with boosting its operational facilities on the vital route.
Backdated mechanical signaling system has been replaced by computer based signaling system in eleven other stations on Ishwardi-Darshana route, he added.
Khandakar Shahidul Islam, General Manager of the zone, told BSS that many of the non-functioning stations are expected to be functional when the process of manpower recruitment will be completed.
In order to improve passengers’ services and the railway sector as well, implementation works of ten infrastructural development projects are being implemented with an estimated cost of around Taka 166.27 billion at present.
A non-stop intercity train has been launched for the first time on Dhaka-Rajshahi route last month for benefit of the passengers.
The zone has also launched ‘Tungipara Express’ train on Rajshahi-Gopalganj route with another train ‘Pabna Express’ from Rajshahi to Pabna via Ishwardi bypass for the first time for convenience of passengers.
“We are committed to providing safe, reliable, cost-effective and time efficient rail transport services everywhere in the zone through modernising, expanding and maintaining rail system,” Shahidul Islam added.
Modernising signalling, interlocking and telecom systems and up gradation of locomotives, coaches and other rolling stocks are being maintained, he said.