Home ›› 11 Feb 2022 ›› Front
Construction of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line-1 – the country’s first ever underground metrorail system – is expected to finally begin this July, more than three years after the initial schedule.
The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd (DMTCL) had initially planned to begin physical work of this project in July 2019, but this work got rescheduled at least three times – once to December 2020, again to June 2021 and finally to March 2022.
But the implementing agency is set to miss its March schedule as well, insiders told The Business Post, adding that the tender documents submitted by interested firms were sent to Japan last week seeking evaluation from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
JICA – which is funding this project in collaboration with the Bangladesh government – will make a final selection in this regard. The agency is also funding other metrorail projects, including the country’s first elevated metrorail MRT Line-6, stretching from Uttara to Motijheel.
Commenting on the matter, DMTCL’s Managing Director MAN Siddique said, “We cannot start working without JICA’s approval. The project has been delayed yet again due to the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“Construction of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line-1 will begin as soon as JICA gives the go ahead. We wish to start the first phase construction in the upcoming FY. Under this phase, the DMTCL will start building a depot in Pitalganj, near Kanchpur Bridge of Narayanganj’s Rupganj.”
Four Japanese firms dropped tender
Four Japanese construction firms have dropped tenders for the development for depot of the MRT Line-1 in Rupganj. These companies are – Obayashi Corporation, Tokyo Corporation, Toa Corporation and Taisei Corporation, said project officials.
DMTCL officials said that 29 firms including several Bangladeshi and Chinese construction firms had bought the tender, but not all of them made the final submission – which closed last week.
Most of the firms could not fulfill the terms and conditions of tender, said insiders, adding that Obayashi – jointly with a Bangladeshi firm named Max Infrastructure Ltd – will implement the project if they manage get the work order.
MRT Line-1, Bangladesh’s first subway
The MRT Line-1 is second among the six Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) lines to be built in Dhaka under state-owned DMTCL. MAN Siddique said the 31.241 kilometer long MRT Line-1 was divided into two routes – 19.72 km Airport Route between Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and Kamalapur Railway Station, and 11.369 km Purbachal Route between Natunbazar and Purbachal.
The Airport Route will be built underground with 12 stations, while the other one will be built elevated with nine stations.
Siddique further said the estimated cost of this project was Tk 52,561 crore, and it is set to be completed by December 2026. The line will also connect to the proposed Terminal-3 of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport so that passengers can travel across the country using this route.
Once completed, the Metrorail will carry around eight lakh passengers daily, reducing their travel time significantly while protecting the environment.
Twenty-five trains – each with eight coaches – will run on these routes, said DMTCL’s managing director, adding that a train would start on the Airport Route every 2.30 minutes and on Purbachal Route every 4.40 minutes.
It will take only 24.30 minutes to travel from the airport to Kamalapur, apart from breaks at 12 underground stations. Besides, on the Purbachal route, the trains will stop at nine stations during their 20.35-minute journey.
Where will the stations be?
Under the plan, the Airport-Kamalapur route will have 12 underground stations — Airport, Terminal-3 of the Airport, Khilkhet, Jamuna Future Park, Notun Bazar, Uttar Badda, Badda, Hatirjheel East, Rampura, Malibagh, Rajarbagh and Kamalapur.
The Purbachal route will have nine stations at Natun Bazar, Bashundhara R/A, Police Officers’ Housing Society, Mastul, Purbachal West, Purbachal Centre and Purbachal East.
MRT LINE-1 Project Progress
The DMTCL, in a monthly progress report in January, stated that the detailed design of this project has been completed 89 per cent, while its land acquisition witnessed a 90 per cent progress.
Project officials added that the study, survey and basic design for the Metrorail have been completed.
Six metro lines by 2030
Bangladesh government plans to build six metro lines by 2030 to ease traffic congestion in Dhaka and reduce pollution, the two major problems faced by the mega city of more than 1.5 crore residents.
The DMTCL, a fully state-owned company, is implementing the 128.74km Metrorail network – 67.56km elevated and 61.17km underground – with 104 stations. The government had signed a loan agreement with JICA in June 2017 for appointing a consultant firm for detailed design and tender assistance. The project feasibility study was completed in December 2018.
Based on that study, the DMTCL has started construction of the MRT Line-6 in the first phase, and construction of MRT Line-1 is scheduled to begin under the second phase.
MRT Line-6 opens partially In December
Bangladesh’s first-ever metro rail will start commercial operation in the Uttara-Agargaon section with 10 sets of metro trains on December 16.
MAN Siddique said the metro rail’s Agargaon-Motijheel section would come into operation under the second phase by December 2023.
The elevated rail line is being constructed between Uttara Sector-3 and Motijheel for around Tk 22,000 crore. The line will later be extended to Kamalapur Railway Station.
Once completed, it will be able to transport 60,000 people per hour and will cut travel time from Uttara to Motijheel to 40 minutes from about two hours. Twenty-four trains will operate on the route once it is fully functional.
