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Metrorail extension work starts in Dec


Published : 25 Nov 2021 10:37 PM

Metrorail extension work from Motijheel to Kamalapur will start next month. 

Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) Managing Director said it will be possible to partially launch Metrorail by December next year. 

And the ambassador of Japan said that the face of Bangladesh will change once the work of the big development project including Metrorail is completed.  

They made those comments while talking to journalists after a recent visit to the metro rail project area. 

Meanwhile, the country's first electric train has conducted a test run at four stations from Uttara to Pallabi. After testing in a few more steps, Dhaka Metrorail will be launched to serve passengers. 

DMTCL managing director MAN Siddique said, “We are optimistic that we will have 10 sets of metro rails by December, all of which will participate in a performance test. All trains will be ready before the final inauguration.” 

Japanese Ambassador Ito Naoki while visiting the metro rail said, “Not only Metrorail, if all the ongoing mega projects are implemented, the face of Bangladesh will change. We want Bangladesh to move forward.” 

Earlier in the performance test, the train was operated at a speed of five kilometers per hour, but on Tuesday it was operated at a speed of 100 kilometers per hour. 

The first metro rail in the country will have 24 train sets. Each set will have six coaches. Each set has a passenger capacity of 2,308. Metrorail will carry about 60,000 passengers per hour on both sides.

The 20.10-kilometer (km) metro rail is being constructed from Uttara to Motijheel at a cost of around Tk 22,000 crore to reduce traffic congestion in the capital.

Of the total cost of Tk 22,000 crore, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will give Tk 16,595 crore while the rest of the fund will come from the government exchequer.

Divided into two parts, the first part of the project is being constructed from Uttara to Agargaon and the second phase is being constructed from Agargaon to Motijheel.