The government plans to construct a bypass via Pahartali and Jhautola in Chattogram to reduce travel time on the Dhaka–Cox’s Bazar railway route by at least 1–1.5 hours. Part of a Tk 10,000 crore dual-line project, the new route will allow trains from Dhaka to reach Cox’s Bazar directly without needing to reverse engines at Chattogram station.
For over two years, two passenger trains—the Cox’s Bazar Express and Porjotok Express—have been running on this route, offering a faster alternative to road travel.
However, the Chattogram–Cox’s Bazar line currently loses at least 45 minutes per journey due to engine reversals.
Dhaka–Cox’s Bazar locomaster F.M. Abdul Awal said, “With the Pahartali–Jhautola bypass, trains from Dhaka will reach Cox’s Bazar directly. Passengers can save one to one and a half hours on this route.”
The Chattogram–Cox’s Bazar section is 168 km long, with current journeys taking 3 to 3.5 hours. Approaching Chattogram station via Pahartali adds 10 minutes, while engine reversal and car shunting take another 20 minutes. Around 8,000 passengers travel daily on the four trains operating on this route.
Currently, all passenger trains from Dhaka first stop at Pahartali, then proceed via Kadamtali to Chattogram station, before reversing engines to continue via Jhautola to Kalurghat Bridge. The bypass will eliminate this delay, saving 45 minutes to 1.5 hours per journey.
Chattogram station manager Abu Bakr Siddique said, “The bypass will remove the need for engine reversals at Chattogram. Trains will reach Cox’s Bazar directly, saving an average of 30 minutes at Chattogram station alone.”
The Railways Ministry has proposed building the new bypass from Pahartali to Jhautola and constructing new station buildings at Pahartali, Sholoshohor, and Jhautola. Modern CBI signalling and interlocking systems will also be installed, enabling passengers to board and alight at these stations.
East Zone Chief Engineer Md. Tanvirul Islam said, “Once completed, the bypass will allow direct trains from Dhaka to Cox’s Bazar, saving time and upgrading key stations and signalling systems. Underpasses and overpasses are also planned at three road–rail crossings.”
Currently, while Dhaka-originating Cox’s Bazar Express and Porjotok Express face delays due to engine reversal, trains like the Probal Express and Shaibal Express, which start directly from Chattogram, are unaffected by this bottleneck.
Cox’s Bazar Life Report
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