The work on the metro rail project up to Motijheel is 80 percent complete with the project likely to be completed before the stipulated time.
Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) managing director MAN Siddique made the remarks at a seminar on the progress of MRT Line-6 and transfer of license of MRT Line-1 of the Metrorail project at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center in the capital on Wednesday.
Noting that 80 percent of the work has been completed up to Motijheel, the DMTCL MD said, “the Prime Minister has directed completion of the project work phase-wise, for which we started the first phase up to Agargaon. Following the first phase work completion up to 70 percent to 75 percent, we started the second phase. In phases we have started electrical and mechanical work in the third phase. We have completed 92.49 percent of the work of the first part. About 80 percent of the second part and 81 percent of the electrical and mechanical work has been completed. In other words, the progress of the work up to Motijheel is 80 percent.”
The Agargaon to Motijheel section will be inaugurated ahead of time. Here about 80 percent of the work has been completed. Now work on the station structure is continuing.
For the operation of Metrorail there is no work left at the depot side, he said, adding, “We have completed the land development work for the depot nine months ahead of schedule. There were 52 installations, of which 47 are completed.”
Regarding the power system of Metro Rail, he said, “Metro Rail has to provide uninterrupted power supply. We have taken measures in such a way that we have taken power from multiple sources in our national power grid. In other words, if the national power grid does not fail, Metrorail will not face any load shedding. Nevertheless we have a generator for backup.”
He said that among 9 stations the work of Uttara North, Uttara Central, Uttara South and Pallabi has been completed. Besides, work is going on in the remaining five stations. Within the next two to three months those will also be completed.
Till now, 14 sets of metro trains have arrived at the depot. Two more are on the way.
Secretary of Road Transport and Highways Department ABM Aminullah Noori presided over the seminar. Mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation Atiqul Islam and Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, and Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee of the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges Raushan Ara Mannan were present.