In Dhaka’s metro rail, passengers’ tickets are checked by automated machines. While entering or exiting, passengers must tap their cards — the gate opens automatically.
It was expected that only one in every 100,000 passengers might face a failure on the first try. But the actual figure is about 1,500 passengers per 100,000.
Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) has identified 45 types of defects and deficiencies in the Uttara–Motijheel metro rail system. Officials say contractors either did not follow proper procedures or failed to complete all the required work under the contract.
According to DMTCL sources, there are 10 types of defects in signaling and telecommunication systems, 16 in electrical works, 10 in civil and structural engineering, and 9 in the trains and related systems.
A 63-page DMTCL report details these faults and shortcomings. Multiple letters have been sent to contractors and consultants, but most of the issues remain unresolved.
Even when some were “fixed,” they were not permanently addressed. Moreover, contractors did not supply some materials as per obligations of the contract.
Officials say these flaws do not pose a serious risk of major accidents, but they could cause frequent service disruptions and maintenance problems. Since opening, metro operations have been temporarily halted 30–40 times, lasting from 20 minutes to several hours.
On 26 October, a bearing pad from the Farmgate section fell and killed a pedestrian named Abul Kalam. It took nearly 22 and a half hours for services to resume. A similar incident had occurred in September last year at the same spot.
Although contractors were supposed to fix all defects within one and a half years of completion, that period has expired. DMTCL now wants them to continue repairs for two more years free of charge.
Until recently, bureaucrats served as DMTCL’s managing directors. In February, engineer Faruque Ahmed, who has experience in metro projects in Australia, India, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Hong Kong, was appointed through an international hiring process.
He told Prothom Alo that he has repeatedly written to the consultants about these flaws but has received no satisfactory response. A detailed investigation is underway. Contractors and consultants must fix the flaws within an extended timeframe.
The metro rail project began in 2012 with an estimated cost of Tk 220 billion (21,985 crore,) which has since risen to Tk 335 billion. Japan’s JICA provided a Tk 197 billion loan. Each kilometer of track cost around Tk 15 billion — among the highest globally — yet significant defects remain.
Construction was divided into eight packages, overseen by the consultant consortium NKDM Association, led by Japan’s Nippon Koei, along with Nippon Koei India, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, Mott MacDonald (UK and India), and Bangladesh’s Development Design Consultants.
NKDM was hired in 2013 at a cost of Tk 10.6 billion to ensure quality control and contract compliance. Because of that, DMTCL addressed its letters mainly to the consultant rather than directly to contractors.
The NKDM team’s acting leader, Takaoki Fujitomi, a Japanese national, was emailed on Friday for comments about the faults but had not replied as of last night.
The metro rail began operations in 2022 during the Awami League government ousted in the July uprising. Then–Managing Director MAN Siddique oversaw contractor selection and construction during his eight-year tenure.
The interim government later removed him. Attempts to reach him for comment were unsuccessful, as his phone was switched off. . MAN Siddique was charged in an attempted murder case during the July uprising last year.
Rainwater seeping into stations
DMTCL reports water leakage in at least 89 spots across 16 stations — especially near entrances, exits, restrooms, lifts, and escalators.
Gaps in the station roofs allow rainwater to fall onto both tracks and platforms. Even concourse-level AC units leak during rainfall. Some issues were temporarily fixed with special tape, but DMTCL deems these just a stopgap.
Passengers have also noticed the leaks. Regular commuter Ataur Rahman said that he experienced rain at the platform while waiting for the train. Water pooling inside the station was also seen.
At the depot in Diabari, 24 water leakage points were identified, but most remain unresolved.
Instead of 1 failure per 100,000 passengers, about 1,500 fail on the first try. The local control unit has malfunctioned 13 times in the past year, disrupting passenger flow.
Doors not aligning properly
In metro systems worldwide, trains stop at precise positions. In Dhaka, each platform has outer doors that open together with train doors. However, trains often stop slightly ahead or behind their designated positions, causing alignment issues.
According to an official, platform doors are slightly larger than train doors, minimising immediate safety risks — but ideally, trains should stop exactly at the set point.
Ticket vending machines were designed to issue five tickets per minute, and each gate should allow 60 passengers per minute, but actual throughput is much lower. Instead of 1 failure per 100,000 passengers, about 1,500 fail on the first try. The local control unit has malfunctioned 13 times in the past year, disrupting passenger flow. The automated fare collection system also uses outdated computers.
The electronic braking system has failed multiple times, halting operations. Contractors replaced power boards in 7 trains, but not in the remaining 17. Cracks have been found in 302 brake components, and thermal sensor malfunctions have repeatedly caused stoppages. AC units have failed frequently, and issues persist in auxiliary power systems.
Ticket vending machines, a total of 82, have been non-functional for a combined 165 days since launch. Signal failures across 30 control centers caused 5 hours of service interruption
Frequent operational disruptions
Technical problems have repeatedly disrupted metro operations. DMTCL’s internal log shows that over 9 hours of delays occurred due to over- and undershooting in the past two years. Overshooting is when train stops before the designated place and undershooting is called when it stops after the place.
About 1 hour 45 minutes of disruptions happened this year from power transmission issues, around 1 hour 45 minutes more due to door malfunctions. The central server and local control unit crashed 13 times between 8 November last year and 5 August this year. The DMTCL officials said the oracle database software in use expired in 2021.
Ticket vending machines, a total of 82, have been non-functional for a combined 165 days since launch. Signal failures across 30 control centers caused 5 hours of service interruption. The metro’s 8 energy storage systems were down for over 15,000 cumulative hours this year. Rust was found on depot tracks, even though rust-proof materials were supposed to be used as per the contract.
Letters seek warranty extension
The officials directly involved with operation of metro rail include director (operation and maintenance), general manager (electrical), general manager (rolling stock), general manager (signaling and telecom). Officials in these departments have written to the project director and consultant requesting a two-year warranty extension.
Operation Director Nasir Uddin Ahmed warned in a letter issued on 22 October that DMTCL would not bear responsibility for any accident caused by these unresolved flaws. Four days later, the fatal bearing pad accident occurred.
Electrical department’s GM Mir Manzur Rahim issued the latest letter on 20 October, after issuing 25 such letters. Mrinal Kanti Banik, GM of rolling stock issued a total of 24 letters, with latest on 16 October, and GM of signaling and telecom’s Mohammad Nazrul Islam issued a total of 12 letters, with latest on 16 October.
“Why should we accept defective infrastructure?”
Following the fatal bearing pad accident, experts have questioned construction quality. DMTCL’s internal list had already flagged 5 per cent deviations in 274 bearing pads.
An official, on condition of anonymity, told Prothom Alo that the contractor and consultant had claimed this deviation was “tolerable,” but fall of bearing pads twice belie that assessment.
BUET professor Shamsul Haque told Prothom Alo, “A man died because a bearing pad fell off. Seeing all these defects, it’s clear we’ve spent an enormous sum for an incomplete public facility. The debt burden alone is heavy — if we now have to spend more on maintenance, that’s disastrous.”
He added, “We hired one of the world’s top consulting firms to oversee quality. The project cost five times more than similar systems in neighbouDMTring countries. So why should we accept defective infrastructure? Contractors and consultants must be held liable for damages.”