Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday inaugurated simultaneous operation of trains on three newly built rail lines to ease the transportation of passengers and cargo on the Rooppur, Shasidal and Joydebpur routes.

She inaugurated the 69.20 km lines virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.

The 11-km-long rail line for Rooppur has been constructed by the science and technology ministry at the cost of Tk 335 crore.

The construction work started in April 2018. It is a dedicated rail line for transportation of cargo to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.

As part of the project, a new rail station was constructed near Hardinge Bridge. Besides, a 26.52-km-long dual-gauge rail line was set up, including siding and loop line from Ishwardi by-pass station to Rooppur plant.

Read more: Bangladesh, Gambia agree on co-deployment of troops in UN peacekeeping

The 11km-long dual-gauge double-line from Tongi to Joydebpur will help railway authorities to increase the number of train trips on the Dhaka-Tongi-Joyebpur route, which links the entire west zone of Bangladesh Railway.

The second line was built at the cost of Tk 1,300 crore under an Indian-funded project.

The sections of 14km-long dual-gauge double-line on the Dhaka-Chattogram route are Kashba to Mandabagh and Shashidal to Rajapur.

The construction was done under a project funded by Asian Development Bank.