Metro Rail trial run set for this month

The much-hyped Metro Rail Line-6 will go for a trial run on viaduct in the end of this month, while the installation of 11.73-kilometre long rail mainline from Uttara to Agargaon continues in full swing.

“Already, we have completed test runs at the depot. Now, we will run the train on the viaduct at the end of this month. Meanwhile, four trains set have already reached to the depot,” Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) Managing Director MAN Siddique told The Business Post.

He also added that construction works of nine stations are almost completed and three metro stations will have escalators.

“The rest of 20 metro train set will come from Japan in phases,” Siddique added. He also said that the first trial run will be conducted with an empty train at a speed of 110km per hour. Later, the DMTCL will conduct a second trial run, this time with passenger load.

Meanwhile, 68.49 per cent of the overall progress of the project from Uttara to Motijheel has been completed in July.

According to the project details, 88.18 per cent of the first phase of metro rail project between Uttara and Agargaon has been completed. Similarly, the progress of Agargaon to Motijheel part of the project is now 66.74 per cent.

The Metro Rail Line-6 consists of 16 elevated stations, each 180m long, with 20.1 km of electricity-powered light rail tracks, and is expected to transport more than 60,000 passengers every hour from both sides with delay time of approximately 43 seconds.

The project, which has been estimated to cost a total of Tk 22,000 crore, will get funding of Tk 16595 crore from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The rest of the sum will be provided from government exchequer.