Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the commercial journey of the much-anticipated metro rail service (from Uttara to Agargaon) in Dhaka at the end of December this year.
Managing Director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) MAN Siddique made the announcement during a press briefing in Dhaka on Wednesday, 23 November.
He was attending the agreement signing ceremony between Japan’s Tokyu Construction and local Max Infrastructure to develop the depot area for MRT-1 – Banglaedsh first-ever underground metro rail – for which physical work is expected to start next month.
The DMTCL MD said, “We have sent a proposal to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) to finalize the inauguration date. We want the premier to launch the country’s first metro rail any day of December last. We are yet to receive any confirmation.
“However, I have spoken with Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam in this regard. He has told us to take all necessary preparations for the launch keeping in mind that it will take place in the last week of next month.”
According to the DMTCL official, about 94.57 percent of the construction work on the metro rail’s Uttara-Agargaon portion has been completed up to 31 October.
Concluding integrated test by November, trial operation of trains to start in early December. But all work will be concluded by 15 December.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina earlier hinted that the landmark infrastructure will be inaugurated after the country’s Victory Day (16 December).
In 2012, the mass rapid transit (MRT) Line 6 project worth Tk 22,000 crore was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) to develop the 20.1km long metro rail from Uttara to Motijheel.
The cost of the project rose to Tk 33,472 crore after including another 1.16 km extension from Motijheel to Kamalapur.
The metro line, which will come into full operation in June 2024, will be able to transport nearly five lakh passengers a day or 16,000 per hour in any one direction.
As the inauguration of the metro service at the Uttara-Agargaon portion nears, DTMCL signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the BRTC to operate shuttle bus services from Agargaon to Motijheel, to reduce the hassles of metro rail passengers.
In September, the government announced the fare chart of the metro rail at TK 5 for each kilometre with a minimum fare of Tk 20.
Metro rail commuters will get a 10 percent discount by paying fares on the rapid pass or MRT pass which will be issued by the DMTCL.
