‘PM Hasina to launch metro rail at end of Dec’

The commercial operation of metro rail from Uttara to Agargaon under the MRT Line-1 project is to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina anytime in the last week of December, a senior government official said.

"We have not received any fixed date for the inauguration of the first metro rail in Dhaka," Managing Director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) MAN Siddique told a press briefing following an agreement signing ceremony between the DMTCL and a consortium of a Japanese and a Bangladeshi company on soil improvement and development for depot areas under the MRT line-1 project, organised at a hotel in the capital. 

Under the contract, the works of the first underground metro rail of the country from the airport to Kamalapur with an elevated line from Natunbazar to Purbachal will begin by the last week of January or the first week of February next year.

Siddique said the DMTCL has sent a proposal to the road transport ministry for the inauguration of the commercial operation of the line in the last week of December. 

"We hope that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the line any day of the last week next month," he added.

Responding to a question, he said that inauguration of the metro rail on 16 December, the Victory Day of Bangladesh is not feasible as many state events are scheduled at that time. "Certainly, the metro rail is going to be inaugurated in the last week of December. But I have not been informed of the date yet."

"I have asked the cabinet secretary and he asked to proceed with the work keeping in mind the inauguration in the last week of December," Siddique added.

Contract signing

The consortium of Japan's Tokyu Construction and local Max Infrastructure was awarded the contract to improve soil and development of land for depot areas under the MRT line-1.

Officials said a total of four companies submitted proposals following international open tender and the winning consortium proposed TK607.65 crore.

Ito Naoki, ambassador of Japan in Dhaka, Mamun-Al-Rashid, planning secretary and IchiguchiTomohide, chief representative of Jica in Dhaka, spoke, among others, at the event chaired by ABM Amin UllahNuri, secretary of the Road Transport and Highways Division.

Masakazu Konishi, executive officer and divisional manager of the Tokyu Construction, signed the contract on behalf of the consortium while MAN Siddique for the DMTCL.

Signing the agreement, Siddique said the soil improvement and land development of the depot areas will facilitate the beginning of the construction of the first underground metro rail line in Bangladesh. 

He said ground breaking work will be inaugurated by the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina by the last week of January or the first week of February next year.

He also said the project is being implemented in 12 packages. The date of commencing construction works of the underground rail will be declared after a few days.

Siddique also thanked the government of Japan and Jica for financing three metro rail projects and asked for further support for a feasibility study for two more metro rail projects.

Ito Naoki said the MRT Line-1 project will connect the international airport of the city with the central railway station through underground structure.

Many of the Japanese construction companies expressed their willingness to participate in the project. The project will catalyse partnership among Japanese and Bangladeshi companies, he added. 

Ito Naoki said the quality implementation of line-1 will help meet the expectation of the citizens of Dhaka. The completion of the MRT lines will reduce the chronic traffic congestion caused by the rapid development and population growth in the capital.