Metro rail to have elevators, escalators, stairs on both sides of each station

The country's first elevated electric metro rail from Uttara to Kamalapur in the capital will have elevators, escalators and stairs on both sides of each station for providing better facilities to passengers.

"It's a modern and latest mode of metro train for city dwellers and Japan has been constructing it. Each station of the metro rail will have facilities for passengers," Managing Director of Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Limited (DMTCL) MAN Siddique told reporters here today.

He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has undertaken the most important project for the capital's residents aimed at giving them improved public transport facility.

"Once operational, the metro rail will be able to transport 60,000 people per hour and reduce travel time from Uttara to Motijheel from about two hours to only 40 minutes," Siddique said.

According to the project details, the entire 20.1-kilometre viaduct of the country's first metro rail project became visible last January with the installation of a segment of its last span near the National Press Club.

Besides, the overall progress of construction work of 21.26-kiolomtere-long elevated metro rail service from Uttara to Motijheel-Kamalapur Railway stands at more than 73 percent now, while 91 percent civil work between Uttara and Agargaon has been done.

Construction works for 11.73 kilometer viaduct, station column and other related works of metro rail between Uttara and Agargaon have been completed.

Mass-Rapid Transport (MRT) Line-6, a dream public transport, under the Fast Track projects is expected to begin its journey on Uttara-Agargaon route from the month of victory this year.

Integrated test and trial run of metro train is underway while functional and performance test is going on in full swing.

Bangladesh is set to embark on a new era of commuting with a new mode of transport hitherto unseen on the land-the elevated metro rail of Dhaka.

This is a big moment in the country's transport sector. Although the train service will be launched initially from Uttara to Agargaon-and later to Motijheel, covering a distance of 21.26 km-one can imagine a successful period of run may eventually lead to its replication across other busy parts of Dhaka and also in other metropolitan areas of Bangladesh. The metro-rail project is being built in eight packages.

It will not only significantly reduce travel time in daily commute but will also carry a large number of passengers, easing the pressure on other transport services. The flexibility, ease and speed of communications, and consequent economic potential that this service promises to bring, may have profound impacts on the quality of life, reports BSS.

The managing director said that construction of all metro stations is going on in full swing during the coronavirus pandemic maintaining strict health guidelines.

He said if the current pace of work continues by following safety rules amid the coronavirus situation, the rail project might be completed in time.

Initially, the length of the metro rail route up to Motijheel was 20.10km. It was later extended to Kamalapur Railway Station adding 1.16 km. As a result, the number of stations was also increased to 16.

The completion of the MRT line is believed to raise GDP growth by 1%. At the same time, a huge amount of people will be employed.