Soil removal beneath Padma Rail Link viaduct in a planned way: Minister

Railways, as well as Road Transport and Bridges Minister, Shaikh Rabiul Alam has said that soil is being removed in a planned manner from beneath the viaduct in the Aliganj area of Fatullah, Narayanganj, in line with the design of the Padma Bridge Rail Link project.

He said the excavation was necessary and was not being carried out haphazardly. Rather, the work is being undertaken as part of the project’s approved design and contractual obligations. It poses no threat to the safety of the viaduct.

The minister made the remarks as chief guest at a programme held in Aliganj, Fatullah, at around 10:00 am today, Thursday. Earlier, Brigadier General Abul Hasnat Mohammad Sayem, project director of the Dhaka-Mawa Padma Bridge Rail Link project, gave a detailed presentation on the necessity of the soil removal, the project design and the safety of the viaduct.

Shaikh Rabiul Alam said some media reports had presented the issue in a way that suggested the viaduct would be put at risk because of the soil removal, creating confusion among the public. In reality, he said, the situation was entirely different.

The rail minister explained that during the construction of the 16.76-kilometre railway line between Dhaka and Mawa, temporary earth filling had been carried out at various locations because the area was marshland and required stable access for transporting heavy machinery and construction materials.

He said similar temporary filling is common in major infrastructure projects around the world. Once construction is completed, the temporary fill is removed and the land is restored to its original condition. He added that this work is part of that process and is also included in the project contract.

Rabiul Alam said temporary fill had already been removed from 14.41 kilometres of the route, with only 2.34 kilometres remaining. It was at this stage, he said, that misleading reports about the soil removal began to appear.

He added that, on average, about 5.5 feet of soil would be removed to restore the land to its original ground level. Beneath that level lies a six-foot-thick pile cap located eight feet below the surface, while the viaduct piles extend to a depth of around 200 feet.

Everything, he said, had been constructed in accordance with engineering calculations and approved designs. Therefore, the soil removal has no adverse effect on the safety of the viaduct.

Responding to a question from journalists, the minister said the government was taking the concerns of local residents seriously. Bangladesh Railway and the relevant authorities remained vigilant on the matter, he said.

He also noted that the Bangladesh Army and Bangladesh Railway were implementing the project with the utmost responsibility in the national interest and were fully aware of the need to ensure the viaduct's safety. He urged the public to have confidence in the project.

Among those present at the programme were State Minister for Railways Habibur Rashid, Railways Secretary Fahimul Islam, Narayanganj City Corporation Administrator and convener of the city BNP Sakhawat Hossain, District Council Administrator and district BNP convener Mamun Mahmud, along with senior officials from the district administration, Bangladesh Railway and law enforcement agencies.