DMP issues seven guidelines for residents on metro rail opening

The country’s first ever metro rail is about to open on 28 December. Prime minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the metro rail on that day. At first it will operate between Uttara and Agargaon only.

The metro rail will start operating in the presence of the prime minister. A woman driver will operate the first ever train of the metro rail service.

Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has issued seven guidelines for the residents of buildings in the areas adjacent to metro rail route from Agargaon to Diabari for the prime minister’s security on the day of the opening.

1. No new tenant can move into any building or flat before 29 December;

2. No new office, shop or restaurants can be opened in any commercial building on 28 December;

3. On 28 December, clothes cannot be laid out for drying on the balcony or rooftop of any building adjacent to metro rail and nobody can stand there;

4. No photographs or festoons can be hung on the buildings or flats of those areas on that day;

5. Nobody can stay in the hotels or commercial spaces on any building adjacent to Metrorail on 28 December;

6. If there’s any licensed arms on any building or flat in the area from Agargaon to Diabari, they have to be deposited to the police station within 25 December.

7. All the banks and ATM booths on either sides of the metro rail have to remain closed from 28 December till the inauguration ceremony continues.

Lifts, escalators and stairs can be used to go up to the metro rail stations. There will be arrangements to buy tickets, offices and different equipment on the first floor of the three-storey station building, which is being called the concourse hall. On the second floor, there will be the railway line and the platform.

Only ticket-holders will be allowed on that floor. There will be barrier next to the railway line to avoid accidents. The barrier and the train door will open up simultaneously after the train stops at the station. Then they will shut automatically after a certain amount of time.

There are six coaches in every metro rail train. The coaches on either ends are being called trailer cars. The drivers will sit in these cars. Apart from that, these coaches will be accommodating 48 passengers. The four coaches in the middle are motorcars which have arrangements to seat 54 people.

Including all, there are 306 seats on each of the trains. All the coaches are 9.5 metres wide. Commuters will be standing on the wide space left in the middle. Once being activated fully, the Metrorail will be transporting 60,000 passengers per hour, as mentioned in the project.

The government has fixed the minimum fare of metro rail at Tk 20. And it will cost Tk 100 to travel from Uttara to Motijheel. Tk 60 will be the fare of travelling from Uttara north station to Agargaon station, the portion on which the Metrorail will start movement in the first phase.

The fare from Uttara North station to Uttara Centre and Uttara South station will be the same, Tk 20. Besides, the fare from the first station (Uttara North) to Pallabi and Mirpur-11 station has been fixed at Tk 30; to Mirpur-10 and Kazipara station Tk 40; and to Shewrapara station it is Tk 50.

At present the minimum fare of bus and minibus in Dhaka is Tk 10. The fare of Metrorail will seem a bit higher to people travelling two to three kilometres now for that minimum fare.

Metro rail will be affordable for people who travel by rickshaw, CNG-powered auto-rickshaw or ride sharing services because in Dhaka, one has to pay more or less Tk 150 to the CNG-powered auto-rickshaw now, even to travel short-distances.

The auto-rickshaw drivers don’t always agree on travelling to the desired destination of the passenger. And the current minimum fare of rickshaw in Dhaka is Tk 20.

On the other hand, metro rail will be air-conditioned and so travel will be comfortable. And, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) will make arrangements for giving a 10 per cent discount on payment with smart cards.  

According to company sources, weekly, monthly and family cards have to be bought beforehand. There will be devices on every metro rail station, which can also be used to recharge the cards.

Passengers will have to punch the cards while entering the platforms, otherwise the doors won’t open. Then they will have to punch the card again while getting off, or else they won’t be able to get out.

There’s another sort temporary card, which will be given during each travel. This card will have to be collected from the station after paying the fare.

This too is similar to the smart card. You won’t be able to open the door with that card. If you travel further than you paid for, you must pay the extra fare to the employees-in-charge before getting out.  

There will be two counters for selling tickets at the station. One of the counters is for common people while the other is for people with physical and visual impairment.