All tenders for the much-awaited Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system will be floated by December, the project’s director said yesterday. This includes tenders for civil work, equipment, rolling stock, engineering and management systems.
According to the plan, main construction work for the MRT will start with Line 6 at the beginning of next year. An amended Metro Rail Bill, 2015 was passed in parliament on January 26.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) has committed to providing Tk16,594.59 crore for the project, while the Bangladesh government will put up Tk5,390.48 crore.
The project aims to curb traffic congestion by providing quick transport services within the capital. According to a Jica study, trains will run every three minutes and carry 60,000 passengers an hour.
Trains will run from Uttara to Motijheel via Pallabi, Rokeya Sarani, Farmgate, Hotel Sonargaon, Hotel Ruposhi Bangla, Dhaka University’s TSC, Doyel Chattar and Topkhana Road.
The project will be implemented under eight contract packages (CP), with only CP1 and CP2 for depots and the rest (CP3 to CP8) for the main construction work, including equipment, viaducts and stations.
“We have already completed the necessary surveys and are now working on detail design which will finalised by August. This year we will float tenders for CP3 through CP8. Pre-qualified bidders will be invited to participate in the tender process,” said Mofazzal Hossain, Dhaka metro rail project director.
Tenders for CP1 (depot land development) and CP2 (civil work in depot) have already been floated.
“After completing the tender process we will sign contracts with the nominated companies beginning next year. Then they can start their work,” Mofazzal said.
“We hope the first phase of construction from Uttara North to Agargon will be completed by December 2019, and the second phase from Agargaon to Motijheel by December 2020, even though the duration of the project on paper continues to 2024,” he added.
According the latest project summary, the tender for civil works (viaducts and stations from Uttara North to Agargaon) will be floated in February.
The tender for civil work from Agargaon to Motijheel will be floated in October. Tenders for engineering and management systems and equipment will also be floated in October.
“We have already got concurrence from Jica to evaluate pre-qualified bidders’ documents to invite tenders,” Mofazzal said.