The government is moving ahead with plans to build two monorail routes in Dhaka by 2030, with detailed design work underway following the completion of a pre-feasibility study.
Dhaka Transport Co-ordination Authority (DTCA) Additional Executive Director Dr Md Moshiur Rahman said the proposed monorail system would expand the capital’s public transport network by providing an environmentally friendly, sustainable and efficient transport option, particularly in areas with high passenger demand, reports BSS.
He said the proposed routes could be connected to existing and planned metro rail lines and other public transport services, making it easier for commuters to reach their final destinations from metro stations.
Consultants from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) have already completed the pre-feasibility study. The detailed designs are now being prepared and are expected to be submitted within six months, according to the project timeline.
The final two routes will be selected based on technical, economic and environmental assessments, taking into account passenger demand, potential benefits and financial viability.
Moshiur said the DTCA conducted transport modelling surveys in different parts of the capital to assess passenger demand and shared the findings with BUET consultants for analysis.
BUET's Bureau of Research, Testing and Consultation (BRTC) completed the pre-feasibility study. Under the agreement, the detailed designs are scheduled to be submitted within the next six months.
The government has allocated Tk7.57 crore from the revenue budget for the pre-feasibility study and detailed designs of the proposed two routes.
The revised Strategic Transport Plan proposes five monorail routes spanning around 79.4km. Authorities plan to select a priority route within three months and complete the overall study within six months.
The five preliminary routes were identified by considering areas where access to feeder bus services for mass rapid transit (MRT) lines is limited.
They are: Airport-Bashundhara via Purbachal and Jolshiri (25.2km); Moddho Badda-Bhulta (14.6km); Rampura-Demra (10.3km); Mohammadpur-Postogola (11.7km); and Airport-Savar via Uttara Centre (17.6km).
The proposal also mentions Monorail-8, from TSC at Dhaka University to Kamrangirchar, with nine stations; Monorail-10, from Alubdi to either West Agargaon or Shyamoli, with 10 stations; and Monorail-13, from Paltan to either Sadarghat or Jhilmil, with six or 11 stations.
A BUET consultant told BSS that the pre-feasibility study examined population patterns, potential passenger catchment areas around stations, gaps in public transport services, traffic congestion, land availability for depots and opportunities for future expansion.
The government-funded assessment will also examine proposed route alignments, potential station and depot locations, passenger demand, technical and structural suitability, economic feasibility, and environmental and social impacts.
A monorail runs on an elevated structure, making it a potential option for densely populated areas where road space is limited and conventional transport infrastructure may be difficult to build.
The study will assess construction and operating costs, passenger capacity and the overall economic and social justification for the proposed system. Local and expatriate Bangladeshi experts have been engaged as consultants.
The initiative is part of the government's broader efforts to ease traffic congestion and improve urban transport in the capital, in line with its election pledges.