The cabinet has given final approval to the draft of the Metro Rail Bill- 2014 in a bid to “introduce Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system in the city, which would be implemented under Public Private Partnership (PPP) basis.”
The approval was given at the weekly cabinet meeting held at Bangladesh Secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair on Monday, reported BSS.
While briefing reporters after the meeting, Cabinet Secretary M Musharraf Hossain said the cabinet approved the draft of the Metro Rail Bill- 2014 in order to give legal framework to the overall activities including operations, control and regulations of the proposed metro rail.
Mentioning that Metro rail project is a priority project of the present government, he said: “The Metro Rail Bill proposed provision of TK10,000,000 fine and 10 years imprisonment for illegal operation of the metro rail or illegal handover of operating license.”
“The law also proposed five-year imprisonment or Tk50,000 fines for obstructing running of the metro rail.”
“A public limited company named Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) will operate the metro rail while DMTCL will be supervised by the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority,” he added.
The Cabinet Secretary said the proposed route of MRT Line-6 would be from Uttara (3rd phase) to Bangladesh Bank via Pallabi-Rokeya Sarani-Khamarbari-Farmgate-Hotel Sonargaon-Shahbagh-TSC-Doel Chattar-and Topkhana Road.
“The law proposed for a committee for giving operating license of the MRT and fixing the fares, the cabinet secretary said adding Executive Director of the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority will be the head of the committee.”
The cabinet also gave its nod to the draft of Public Private Partnership Bill-2014 and two SAARC agreements designed for cooperation in the area of energy and regional connectivity.
The draft of the 'Public Private Partnership Bill-2014' was given nod to expedite economic development of the country through implementing big infrastructure projects under PPP basis, the cabinet secretary said.
The cabinet also approved the SAARC Framework Agreement for Energy Cooperation (Electricity) and SAARC Regional Railways Agreement for SAARC Member States.
Cabinet members, state ministers in charge of different ministries and concerned secretaries attended the meeting.