The construction work of the country’s much-hyped Metro Rail is continuing on a limited scale while first ready train from Japan is scheduled to arrive in the country on June 16 amid the lockdown imposed to halt the spread of coronavirus.
Road Transport and Bridges Ministry’s additional chief information officer Abu Naser confirmed the train arrival schedule to Bangladesh Post.
He said none related to Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) or the Metro Rail construction has been infected with the deadly virus.
“The contraction work of the Metro Rail is continuing on a limited scale. Infrastructure development work is underway, especially in the depot area. Making of the steel frame for Metro Rail station is also continuing in Gazipur,” he said.
“The ready train for MRT line-06 is likely to arrive in the country on June 16. Work of the second train is also continuing there,” he added.
The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) earlier posted a video of the factory run of the stainless train with six compartments on its Facebook page on March 18. The length of each compartment of the ready train is 20 metres.
According to DMTCL information, the overall average progress of the project in March this year was 44.12 percent.
The Metro Rail will take 40 minutes to reach Kamalapur from Uttara. The station will be high as a three-storey building and will be accessed by escalators and lifts.
Ticket counter and other facilities will be available on the second floor. The authorities said 12 trains will run on the routes.
Officials said that as part of the government’s plan to free the capital of nagging traffic congestion, five rail routes will be constructed in the city’s different areas in phases by 2030.
Once the 20.1-kilometre Metro Rail with 16 stations goes into operation, it is expected to transport around 60,000 passengers every hour.
