Metro rail: Formal work kicks off for stations, tracks construction of 2 new routes

Eight elevated stations and 11 kilometers of elevated tracks will be constructed for two new metro rail lines under four packages.

Contractors have been appointed for the construction of stations and railway tracks for MRT Line-1 (from the capital's Airport to Kamalapur) and MRT Line-5 (Northern Route, from Hemayetpur to Bhatara).

Additionally, various depot infrastructures will also be developed in Hemayetpur and Purbachal. The appointment of contractors marks the formal commencement of the construction of these stations and railway tracks.

Contracts under the four separate packages were signed on Tuesday (27 October) afternoon at the Metro Rail Bhaban in Diabari, Uttara. The two projects are being implemented by Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) with joint financing from the Bangladesh government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The total cost for constructing these two metro rail lines will be Tk 2 trillion. Of this, Tk 1.14 trillion will be spent on MRT Line-1 and Tk 890 billion on MRT Line-5.

MRT Line-1 will be 31 kilometers long, while MRT Line-5 will span 20 kilometers.

The metro rail line from Airport to Kamalapur will have 21 stations. The line from Hemayetpur to Bhatara will have 14 stations. Construction of both lines is scheduled to be completed by 2033.

Mohammad Ziaul Haque, secretary of the Road Transport and Highways Division attended the contract signing ceremony as the chief guest. Planning Commission Member (Acting Secretary) Kabir Ahmed was present as the special guest.

DMTCL Managing Director Md. Shaugatul Alam, along with representatives from the Embassy of Japan, JICA, project officials, consultants and contracting firms, were also present on the occasion, DMTCL said in a press release.

According to the DMTCL press release, a total of 49 structures will be constructed for the MRT Line-1 depot under the agreement. This will include workshops, stabling sheds and an operation management centre.

The contract for this work was signed with China's Sinohydro and SEBCL. In addition, the contract for constructing a five-kilometre elevated viaduct and three stations (Joar Sahara, Boalia and Mastul) on this line was signed with China's CREC and MBEC and Japan's MIL.

For the MRT Line-5 depot, an agreement was signed with Taiwan's CPC and South Korea's Hanil to construct various infrastructures, including an administrative building, stabling yard, warehouse and workshop sheds.

Under another package, a contract was signed with CREC-MIL-MBEC for constructing a total of 6.50 kilometers of elevated railway from Hemayetpur to Aminbazar and from Natun Bazar to Bhatara, alongside five stations: Hemayetpur, Baliyapur, Bilamalia, Aminbazar and Bhatara.

The press release stated that implementing these four packages will advance the expansion of the capital's metro rail infrastructure.

Speaking at the ceremony, Road Transport and Highways Division Secretary Mohammad Ziaul Haque said that easing traffic congestion and reducing commute times in Dhaka remain one of the government's top priorities. To this end, the metro rail network is being expanded to build a modern, safe, and environmentally friendly mass transit system.