Dhaka, April 25 -- The Ministry of Railways has sent a Development Project Proposal (DPP) to bring the Narayanganj-Joydebpur section of Bangladesh Railway (BR) under electric traction, with an estimated cost of Tk 42.83 billion, sources at the Planning Commission say.

The project, the first of its kind in the country, will electrify a 52.32-kilometre corridor through 186-track-kilometre overhead catenary system (OCS) installation, alongside land acquisition, procurement of 16 Electric Multiple Unit (EMU) trains, and five years of post-construction maintenance support.

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the European Investment Bank (EIB) are expected to provide a combined loan of Tk 28.31 billion, while the remaining Tk 14.52 billion i...