The first tender for pre-qualification of rolling stock (coach and locomotive) for the 20.1-km-long much-expected metro rail will be floated on January 31, said Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.
The minister made the statement while briefing the journalists at the secretariat yesterday.
A total of 24 new locomotives and 144 coaches will cost Tk2,700 crore, said source in the ministry.
As per the rules, the estimated cost must be approved by Japan International Cooperative Agency (Jica), the major financier of the project, and then the Metro Rail authorities before the tender is floated.
The Metro Rail authorities are yet to approve the cost. They still need more time to verify it.
Road Transport and Highways Division Secretary MAN Siddique, also the Metro Rail project chairman, said: “We hope to get the approval by the time.”
Meanwhile, about the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project Road Transport and Bridges Minister said: “The construction work of the project will begin in December this year and to be completed in November 2017.”
“Commuters can travel from Gazipur to Airport in only 40 minutes,” he said.
On Monday parliament passed an amended Metro Rail Bill, 2015 in a bid to curb traffic jam in the capital with providing quick and modern transport service to commuters.
Under the first tender, 24 locomotives and 144 coaches will be procured from manufacturers and suppliers. The 24 trains each having six coaches will run from Uttara to Bangladesh Bank.
The first part of the construction may end by December 2019 while the whole project to be completed by 2024.
The metro rail will run from Uttara Third Phase to Bangladesh Bank via Pallabi, the west side of Rokeya Sarani and Farmgate, Hotel Sonargaon, Ruposhi Bangla, TSC of Dhaka University, Doel Chattar and Topkhana Road.
The route was supposed to be extended up to Sayedabad from Bangladesh Bank through Atish Dipankar Road.
The Jica has committed to provide Tk16,594.59 crore while the government Tk5,390.48 crore.
A Japanese consortium is currently working on the detailed design of the project. It is also carrying out a topographical, traffic and geo-technical surveys in different parts of the project.