With the maiden performance run of the metro rail, the country has entered the electric train era.
Metro Rail test run was done for the first time in the capital’s Diabari depot on Tuesday.
Authorities said 16 more such tests (performance run) would be conducted. The six-car train was brought from the workshop to the unloading zone.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister, Obaidul Quader virtually joined the Metro Rail trial run. After bringing the train to the unloading zone, Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki and senior officials of the Metrorail Authorities entered the coaches and toured them.
The minister said, “In the ongoing Coronavirus situation, the metro train set is being brought to Bangladesh after completing the inspection through a third party inspector through a special initiative. The first metro train set arrived at the Uttara depot on April 23.
“The receiving inspection has already been completed. Functional tests are currently underway at the depot”.
“Following this, a performance test will start on the main line Viaduct next August. Once the performance test on the viaduct is completed, the integrated test will be performed. Then the trial run of the train will begin,” added the minister.
“The second metro train set also arrived at Mongla port on May 9. I hope it will reach Dhaka soon. Metrorail is no longer a dream, it is a reality”, he further said.
Road Transport and Highways Department secretary Nazrul Islam said, “The dream metro rail is no longer a dream for the people of the capital. Already 64 percent of the work of MRT line-6 has been completed. Six coaches of the second set have reached Mongla port. The third and fourth sets will arrive in Bangladesh between August and the fifth set in September. The remaining sets will arrive in phases. The day is not far off when Dhaka residents will be able to travel by metro rail”.
Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (Metrorail) Managing Director and former Secretary MAN Siddique, Project Director of MRT Line-6 AftabUddinTalkudar, Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh, Director General of the Government of Japan, JICA country director and top officials were present on the occasion.
