Metro rail tracks set to be installed in November

Authorities are preparing to lay the tracks for metro rail link from Uttara to Agargaon at the end of November.

A sample train will be set up in the metro rail depot in Diyabari in January to familiarise citizens with the transport system.

Preparations have begun to install the tracks for metro rail 6, MAN Siddique, managing director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company, told bdnews24.com.

"The railway tracks have arrived. We need to make some preparations to install them. We will begin installing these at the end of November. The tracks will be installed on the viaducts from Uttara to Agargaon and will be visible by December."

Construction was going on for a ramp for the train to run uphill to the flyover from the depot, when bdnews24.com visited the Diyabari depot in Sunday.

Preparing the sub-base with rock and sand is done, said the project workers. Stones will be placed on the sub-base followed by the installment of the sleepers and tracks, they said.

The main operation work of the metro rail will be conducted from the depot. The necessary infrastructure is being constructed now.

The steel frame for the depot shade has been made. Test track bed, coach unloading area, jack pit, bogie turntables, bogie wash plant and other parts have been built as well.

Other infrastructure, including power sub-station, power supply system, administration building, mosque, medical centre have been constructed. This part of metro rail has made 60 percent progress.

It will take time for the rail coach and depot machinery to become visible, said DMTCL Managing Director Siddique.

"The rolling stock and depot equipment will arrive under package 8. It isn't that visible at present as most of the equipment are being made abroad. It will be tested and then shipped to the country. It will become visible once the equipment begin to arrive."

A sample of the metro rail train has been made in Japan to give the passengers an idea of the service, he said.

"The first mock up of the train has been made and will arrive in January. We'll set it up in the depot as there has been no metro rail in the country as of now. There will be a MRT information and exhibition centre to provide information on ticketing, queues, boarding and other directives."

The first set of the main train will arrive on June 15, 2020, said Siddique. The other trains will arrive later.

The overall progress of the Metro Rail 6 project is 35 percent, according to the DMTCL.

The first phase of the project stretching from Uttara to Agargaon has made 55 percent progress and the second phase from Agargaon to Motijheel made 25.74 percent progress.

Work related to the electrical and mechanical system, rolling stock and collecting depot machinery has made 10.87 percent progress.

The metro rail line 6 project is being implemented under eight packages.