Dhaka, Jan 31 (bdnews24.com) – Some changes have been brought in the city's proposed metro rail route, says the communications minister.
The changes have been made following an objection from Dhaka University authorities, Syed Abul Hossain said on Monday.
He was talking to journalists at the Secretariat after a meeting with a delegation of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which is carrying out a feasibility study on the project.
Salehuddin Ahmed, an official of Dhaka Transport Coordinating Board (DTCB), said the university opposed the plan as the route passes closely by a female dormitory, Rokeya Hall.
The meeting said the previous route-map of the 21.50-kilometre metro rail was from Uttara to Sayedabad via Jahangir Gate, Farmgate, Shahbagh, TSC, Central Shaheed Minar, Dhaka Medical College and Gulistan.
As per the revised plan, it will go from TSC to Press Club through Bangla Academy and Doyel Chattar instead of through Shaheed Minar and DMC.
From Press Club it will run to Sayedabad via Motijheel, Shapla Chattar and Golapbagh.
The rail road will pass through Shapla Chattar and Golapbagh underground due to Gulistan-Jatrabari flyover.
Abul said work on the project, to be implemented at an estimated cost of around Tk 120 billion, would start next year.
The proposed route-map would be submitted to the cabinet meeting within two weeks for its approval.
Tomohide Ichiguci, a director from JICA Tokyo headquarters, led the corresponding delegation at the meeting with the minister.
Secretary of roads and railways division Mozammel Haque Khan and secretary of bridges division Mohammad Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan were also present at the meeting.
In reply to a query about the loan from JICA, the minister said, "It may be a soft loan or grant. They didn't mention it officially yet."
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