Metro Rail Goes into Operation Next Year: Official

The much-awaited metro rail line-6 will go into commercial operation next year as its mainline test on viaduct will take place in August this year.

“We expect that the commercial operation of the MRT line-6 from Uttara to Agargaon part will begin next year,” Managing Director of Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Limited (DMTCL) MAN Siddique told journalists.

Siddique said that construction of all metro stations was going on in full swing during the coronavirus pandemic maintaining health guidelines strictly.

According to the project details, the first phase of the country’s first metro rail project between Uttara and Agargaon became visible and its progress stood at 85.64 percent.

A total of 14.41 kilometers of viaducts were installed out of 20.10 km from Uttara to Motijheel metro rail and the progress in Agargaon to Motijheel part rose to 62.50 percent.

The project details said the second set of metro trains reached the depot within 15 days of the scheduled time, while the third and fourth shipment of the metro train set will reach the country on August 13. The fifth set will start its journey from Japan on July 16, which is expected to anchor on September 17 this year.

Besides, platform construction of Uttara North, Uttara Center, Uttara South, and Pallabi stations were completed, while platform construction of Mirpur-11, Kazipara, and Shewrapa stations is going on, it said.

If the current pace of work continues by following safety rules during the ongoing coronavirus situation, the rail project is expected to be completed within December 2022.

The length of the metro rail route up to Motijheel was 20.10 km. But now it is extended to Kamalapur Railway Station by 1.16 km. As a result, the number of stations has been increased to 16.

According to project details, there will be a total of 16 stations on the 21 km route of the Mass Rapid Transit-MRT Line-6. The stations are Uttara North, Uttara Center, Uttara South, Pallabi, Mirpur-11, Mirpur-10, Kazipara, Shewrapara, Agargaon, Bijoy Swarani, Farmgate, Karwan Bazar, Shahbag, Dhaka University, Bangladesh Secretariat, and Motijheel.

The iconic stations will be at Diabari, Mirpur, and Motijheel, while other stations will be constructed ordinarily.

Source: BSS