MRT Line-6 construction starts

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DHAKA, Aug 2, 2017 (BSS) -The construction work of elevated viaducts (tracks) and station of the country’s first ever metro rail initiated by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina kicked off here today to help reduce public sufferings.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today inaugurated the construction work of the first part of the elevated viaducts and nine stations of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line-6 at Agargaon in the city.

“Through the construction of the stations and viaducts, we march further ahead in implementing the project. The development works of the depot is already going on,” he told a function as the chief guest.

The minister said construction of 12 kilometers of the overhead metro rail and nine stations from Uttara to Agargaon has started at a cost of Taka 4,230 crore, adding, “The JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) provided around Taka 16,600 crore as project assistance out of the total cost of Taka 22,000 crore.”

He said the project is being implemented in eight packages and tenders for all the packages have been completed in the meantime, adding, ” In the first phase, 12 kilometer flyover and Uttara-North, Uttara-Center, Uttara-South, Pallabi, Mirpur-11, Mirpur-10, Kazipara, Sherawapara and Agargaon stations will be constructed by 2019 and the construction works will be completed from Agargaon to Motijheel by 2020 in the second phase.”

During the opening function, Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority-DTCA Executive Director Syed Ahmed, Metro Rail Project Director Aftab Uddin Khan and senior officials concerned were also present.

According to the project, 14 trains would operate every three minutes and carry 60,000 passengers every hour in both directions. The 20-km metro rail will have a total of 16 stations through Uttara, Mirpur, Rokeya Sarani, Khamarbari, Farmgate, Sonargaon Hotel, Shahbagh, Doel Chattar and Topkhana road.

In May this year, the metro rail project authorities signed two contracts for construction of viaduct and stations from north Uttara to Pallabi and from Pallabi to Agargaon.

The estimated time to travel the 20km distance, from north end of Uttara to Motijheel, is 35 minutes. The trains would have six cars each, all air conditioned.

Once the MRT Line-6 is in operation, the commuters would enjoy easy-going traffic and there would be no more any perennial congestion of transportations in this gradually expanding city.

Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina launched the construction work of the metro rail project, also known as the MRT Line-6, on June 24, 2016.