Metro rail: Cracks found in 46 piers, 27 bearing pads deemed critical

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam has told Parliament that 27 defective bearing pads along the metro rail route have been identified as critical, while cracks of varying degrees have been detected in 46 piers.

The findings were made in a report by the Safety Audit Committee, he said.

The minister made the disclosure on Wednesday in response to a question from Abul Kalam, a member of Parliament from Cumilla-9, during the question-answer session in Parliament. The session was chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad.

Sheikh Rabiul Alam said that according to the Safety Audit Committee’s report, not all of the 730 bearing pads along the Uttara–Motijheel metro rail route are defective. Defects in 147 bearing pads have been classified as minor, while problems with 297 pads are mainly related to installation workmanship.

A total of 27 defective bearing pads have been identified as critical. The audit committee’s report also found cracks of varying degrees in 46 piers.

The minister said work has already begun to implement the recommendations of the Safety Audit Committee. Steel brackets have been installed at 10 locations where problems such as displacement of bearing pads could occur.

Settlement markers have been installed for 27 bearing pads. A programme has also been taken to replace the 27 bearing pads by 30 November.
BUET is being appointed as a structural consultant to assess the risks posed by cracks of varying degrees in the 46 piers and determine appropriate repair methods. Structural crack gauges are also being installed at 102 locations to measure and monitor structural cracks in the infrastructure.

In response to a question from reserved-seat MP Shaukat Ara Akter, Road Transport Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam said 14 women-only bus services, known as Pink Bus services, are currently operating on 13 routes in Dhaka, Bogura and Chattogram.

He said steps are underway to import another 100 electric vehicles (EVs) to expand women-only bus services across the country.

In response to a question from reserved-seat MP Sanjida Islam, the road transport minister said Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) currently has 1,298 buses and 525 trucks.

Of these, 1,172 buses are operational and 126 are out of service. Of the trucks, 494 are operational and 31 are out of service.

In response to a question from Chattogram-13 MP Sarwar Jamal Nizam, Sheikh Rabiul Alam said several investment opportunities identified around the Karnaphuli Tunnel could not be implemented on time for various reasons.

After taking office, the current government has taken various initiatives to create new opportunities for industrialisation and investment centred on the Karnaphuli Tunnel. Rather than treating the tunnel solely as a transport infrastructure project, the government is seeking to establish it as an important foundation for economic development, industrialisation, tourism and balanced regional development in southern Chattogram.

A total of Tk 102.55 billion was spent on the construction and implementation of the Karnaphuli Tunnel project. Questions have already been raised over various aspects of the tunnel’s construction and implementation. The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is conducting an investigation into the matter.

In response to a question from Rajshahi-4 MP Abdul Rabi Sardar, the railway minister said travelling on train roofs is not an authorised practice of Bangladesh Railway.

Passengers sometimes travel on train roofs forcibly during various festivals, which is undesirable, he said. A decision will be taken after considering technical aspects to prevent passengers from travelling on train roofs.

The minister also said existing railway laws provide for compensation to the families of passengers killed in train accidents.

In response to a question from reserved-seat MP Nilufar Chowdhury Moni, the road transport minister said battery-run autorickshaws are classified as non-motorised vehicles under the Road Transport Act.

Under the law, the operation of battery-run autorickshaws on national and regional highways has been completely prohibited. Mobile courts are being conducted to stop battery-run autorickshaws from operating on roads and highways.