Metro Rail rush continues at night, operating hours may be extended further

Passenger numbers on the metro rail have increased after operating hours were extended by 20 minutes at night. Crowds on metro trains during late hours are now almost similar to that of during daytime peak periods. As a result, authorities are considering extending metro rail operating hours even further at night.

The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), which is responsible for constructing and operating the metro rail system in the capital, said that average daily commuters have increased by around 8,500 since the extended hours were introduced.

Journalist Rajib Ahmed described his experience travelling on the last train of the night. He commutes between Karwan Bazar and Shewrapara in Mirpur. Rajib Ahmed said that on 13 June, he was unable to board the 10:30 pm train because of the crowd. He later took the final train, which arrived at Karwan Bazar at around 10:40 p.m.

He added that he travels from Shewrapara to Karwan Bazar around noon and that the level of crowding he saw on the last train at night was almost comparable to what he experiences during the day.

Since 7 June, metro rail operating hours have been extended by 20 minutes in both directions at night. As a result, the last train from Motijheel to Uttara now departs at 10:30 p.m., while the final train from Uttara leaves at 9:50 p.m. One additional train has been added from Uttara and one from Motijheel during the extended period, bringing the total number of extra trains to two.

According to metro rail authorities, each train can carry a maximum of 2,300 passengers. Based on that capacity, the two additional trains could accommodate up to 4,600 passengers. But how did the number of passengers increase by approximately 8,500 after operating hours were extended?

In response, a source involved with the metro rail operation said that passenger numbers have also risen significantly on the two or three trains preceding the final service. Previously, many commuters chose alternative modes of transport because they feared they would miss the last train. With the extension of operating hours, those passengers have returned to the metro system, contributing to the increase in ridership.

According to DMTCL data, before the schedule extension, metro rail commuters on a typical working day stood at around 400,000 or slightly higher. Last Sunday, passenger numbers exceeded 429,000—the highest figure recorded in recent times.

Passenger pressure toward Mirpur and Uttara at Karwan Bazar Station increases from around 5:00 pm onwards. The situation is similar even on Fridays and Saturdays. Private-sector employee Abu Hurayra said that at around 8:30 pm on Wednesday, he was travelling from Karwan Bazar Station toward Mirpur.

Hundreds of people were waiting at the station. Because of the crowd, he was unable to board the first train. He managed to get onto the second train with great difficulty, but even there the crowd was so dense that there was barely room to stand.

Metro rail authorities said that passenger numbers are now higher at night than during the early morning period. Taking this into consideration, they are considering extending operating hours further at night.

If a final decision is made, the change could take effect next month. Under the proposal, the last train from Motijheel would depart at 11:00 pm, while the final train from Uttara would leave at 10:20 pm.

Currently, the first metro train of the day departs from Uttara for Motijheel at 6:30 am, while the first northbound train leaves Motijheel at 7:15 am. According to the relevant source, there are currently no plans to extend operating hours in the morning.

Metro rail authorities said that test runs were conducted in May with the goal of extending night-time operations by 50 minutes. However, because of uncertainty over whether enough passengers would use the service, operating hours were initially extended by only 20 minutes. At present, two metro trains operate during the extended period, with a 10-minute interval between them.

Nazrul Islam, DMTCL Director (Operation and Maintenance), told Prothom Alo that passenger pressure has increased since operating hours were extended by 20 minutes. As a result, discussions are underway about extending services further at night.

He added that a variety of maintenance activities must be carried out on trains, tracks, and workshop facilities during the interval between the end of nightly operations and the start of services the next morning. Therefore, additional technical preparations are required before extending operating hours further. Preparations are currently underway.

There are currently 24 train sets operating on the Uttara–Motijheel route, each consisting of six coaches. During peak hours, 12 train sets operate continuously. DMTCL sources said that if the number of trips is increased during extended hours, 14 train sets will be deployed continuously.

DMTCL officials noted that the metro rail system has the capacity to operate trains at intervals of every three and a half minutes. In addition, the project was originally designed with the expectation that metro services would run from morning until midnight. However, this has not yet been possible because of staff shortages. Operating hours are now being extended gradually.

According to initial projections, the Uttara–Motijheel route was expected to serve around 500,000 passengers per day. Currently, average daily commuters stand at approximately 425,000. Construction work is underway to extend the metro line to Kamalapur. The extended section could become operational next year, at which point daily passenger numbers are expected to rise to 677,000.

Metro rail services in Dhaka were first launched on 28 December 2022. Initially, trains operated only between Uttara and Agargaon. The number of stations increased gradually, and passenger services at all stations up to Motijheel began on the final day of 2023.

One female passenger recalled her experience on 8 June while travelling to Mirpur on the last train of the night. She works for a private company and requested anonymity. Speaking to Prothom Alo, she said that ten women boarded the women-only coach along with her at Karwan Bazar Station that day. Had the metro rail not been operating during the extended hours, all of them would have had to travel by bus or some other mode of transport.

She added that extending metro rail operating hours was an excellent decision. It now allows commuters to travel safely and comfortably even after 10:00 p.m. In her view, passenger demand on Dhaka’s roads remains high until around 11:00 pm, and extending metro rail services a little further would be beneficial.