PM to inaugurate BRT, metrorail work on Jun 26

The construction of a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and a metrorail system in Dhaka will be officially flagged off on Jun 26.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the two projects during a ceremony at Banganbandhu International Conference Centre.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader told a media briefing on Thursday that this will help "expedite the implementation of two projects on schedule."

Preparations for the Metrorail project were underway and work would now begin, he said. The construction of the depots had already started. 

Metrorail’s Route-6, from Uttara to Motijheel’s Shapla Chattar, will be elevated all the way.
 
The route would have six stations, while trains would carry 60,000 passengers both ways every hour, he said.  

In the first phase, the trains will go up to Agargaon in 2019, while the extension to Motijheel will be completed by 2020. 

Bids have been invited for six of the eight project packages, and the deal for one has already been finalised.  

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is providing Tk 165.95 billion of the Tk 220 billion project covering a distance of 20km. 

The minister also talked about two other routes: Routes 1 and 5.
 
Route-1 will run from Gazipur to Keraniganj’s Jhilmil project. 

The first phase of the construction will extend from the airport to Kamalapur, and from Khilkhet to Purbachal.
 
Ten kilometres of this 27-km track will be underground. 

The plan for Route-5 has been finalised to connect the metropolis from east to west. The 35-km track will lie between Bhulta in Narayanganj to Gabtoli. 

The primary phase, comprising 17-km from Bhatara to Gabtoli-Hemayetpur, will include six kilometres of underground tracks.
  
JICA has already started the feasibility studies for Route-1 and 5, said the minister.

Source: bdnews24