The Dhaka Metro Rail will offer train services in increased frequency from next Saturday as an additional 26 trips are being incorporated into the existing 152 trips on the Uttara-Motijheel section.
Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd (DMTCL) Managing Director MAN Siddique said, “To meet the demand of an increasing number of passengers every day, we will cut down the interval time of every train’s arrival at the stations.
“Instead of a ten minute gap between every trip during the peak hour, we will reduce the time to eight minutes. On average, 2.70 lakh people use this service every day. Currently, each train carries between 1,750 and 1,775 passengers.”
He added, “With the new schedule, each train will carry around 1,500 passengers, leaving room for 200 more passengers each trip. However, the schedule will change during the upcoming Ramadan days.”
The train schedule for Uttara and Motijheel stations has different timings for peak and off-peak hours. At Uttara station, the off-peak hour starts at 7:10am and lasts for 20 minutes, with trains arriving every 10 minutes.
The peak hour starts at 7:31am and runs until 11:48am, with trains arriving every 8 minutes. After that, the off-peak hour starts from 11:49am until 3:12pm, with trains arriving every 12 minutes. From 3:13pm to 8pm, trains run every 8 minutes.
For Motijheel station, the special off-peak hour is from 7:30am to 8am, with trains coming every 10 minutes. The peak hour starts from 8:01am to 12:08pm, with trains arriving every 8 minutes.
After that, the off-peak hour runs from 12:09pm to 3:52pm, with trains arriving every 12 minutes. Finally, the peak hour starts in Motijheel from 3:53pm to 8:40pm, with trains running every 8 minutes.
The trains starting at 7:10am and 7:20am from Uttara station will only carry passengers who have MRT or Rapid passes. The same rule will be applicable for 8pmm trains starting from Motijheel.
All ticket vending machines and ticket selling offices at the Metro Rail stations will be shut down at 7:50pm. The single journey tickets and MRT pass purchase or top-up services will be available there from 7:15am to closing time, he said.
