Tk2.46cr earned from metro rail since opening

The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) earned revenue worth Tk2.46 crore from passenger fares till Monday (30 January) since the service was opened to the public in a limited capacity on 29 December last year. 

"Around 3.35 lakh passengers availed of metro rail service so far under the MRT Line 6," DMTCL Managing Director MAN Siddique said on Tuesday (31 January) during a press briefing arranged ahead of the inauguration of construction works of MRT Line 1 - the first underground metro rail of the country.

"It should be kept in mind before talking about the revenue of metro rail that the service is currently running on a limited scale. A full-day service with stoppage at all stations will increase the number of riders and revenue," MAN Siddique added.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the country's first metro rail service on 28 December last year.  The next day, the service was opened for public use.

Initially, the metro rail service started running between Uttara to Agargaon, stopping only at the Diabari Station and Agargaon Station. Metro rail started making stoppage at Pallabi station from 25 January.

The train will stop at all the nine stations after it is fully operational from 26 March.

Physical works for the extension of the metro rail began on 7 January to expand metro service up to Kamlapur by 2025. The works are progressing in line with the goal of operating metro rail from Uttara to Motijheel by December this year.