The physical work of Bangladesh's first underground metro rail between two major transport hubs-- Dhaka airport and Kamlapur--is finally set to begin in December this year as a contract will be signed in this regard on Wednesday, officials of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) said.
According to the officials, a Japan-Bangladesh joint venture of Tokyu Construction Company Ltd and Max Infrastructure Ltd have been selected for the land development work at the depot in Narayanganj's Pitalganj at the cost of Tk697.65 crore.
The joint venture company will complete the work within two and a half years.
DMTCL, the implementing agency, will organize a groundbreaking ceremony in December to inaugurate the work of Mass Rapid Transit Line-1 (MRT-1), said officials.
The project director of MRT line-1 Abul Kashem Bhuiyan told Dhaka Tribune that the contract signing ceremony will be held on Wednesday.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to join the ceremony of the underground metro rail MRT line-1 next month.
“Depot development work will start following the foundation stone laying ceremony, '' he added.
Japanese firm Tokyu Construction Co Ltd also developed the depot for Bangladesh's first metro rail (MRT Line-6) in Dhaka's Diabari.
Meanwhile, Max Infrastructure is involved in various mega projects for Bangladesh Railway and Roads and Highways Department.
According to the development project proposal (DPP), MRT line-1 is the biggest infrastructure project as its cost is over Tk52,000 crore. It is scheduled to be completed by 2026.
Once the 31.24-km line is completed and the line is up and running, trains will run at 90kmph and be able to carry 800,000 passengers each day.
The 31.24km MRT Line-1 will have two parts — around 19.87km from Dhaka airport to Kamalapur, which includes 16.4km underground, and approximately 11.36km, which is elevated from Notun Bazar to Purbachal.
The Notun Bazar station will serve as an interchange point.
It will take only 24 minutes to travel from Dhaka airport to Kamalapur, with breaks at 12 underground stations on the route (Dhaka airport, Kuril, Natunbazar, Badda, Rampura, Malibagh, Rajarbag, and Kamalapur).
A total of 25 trains, each of which will carry 3,088 passengers, will operate on the route every day.
Travel on the elevated part of the Purbachal route will take 20 minutes, with the trains moving at 100kmph apart from the breaks at seven stations.
