Where will the new three metro rail lines run?
Metro rail. File photo
The government is moving forward with three new metro rail projects to reduce traffic congestion in the capital and improve the public transport system. The revised costs of MRT Line 1 and MRT Line 5 Northern Route, funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), have been approved. At the same time, the new MRT Line 5 Southern Route, jointly funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and South Korea, has also received approval.
The three projects were approved at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) held on Wednesday. Prime Minister and ECNEC Chairperson Tarique Rahman presided over the meeting.
Planning Commission sources said the total cost of implementing the three projects will be around Tk 2.5 lakh crore. Proposals were submitted to revise the cost and duration of MRT Line 1 and MRT Line 5 Northern Route. Initially, only the MRT Line 5 Southern Route project was scheduled to be presented at the ECNEC meeting. Later, the other two projects were also placed at the same meeting.
Funded by JICA, the 31.24-kilometer MRT Line 1 project has an estimated cost of Tk 1,14,394 crore 89 lakh. Part of the project will run underground while the rest will be elevated.
The 19.87-kilometer section from the airport to Kamalapur will be an underground railway. It will have 12 underground stations. The stations are Airport, Airport Terminal 3, Khilkhet, Nadda, Natun Bazar, North Badda, Badda, Aftabnagar, Rampura, Malibagh, Rajarbagh and Kamalapur.
Meanwhile, the 11.37-kilometer section from Natun Bazar to Purbachal Terminal will be elevated. This section will have seven stations: Joar Sahara, Boalia, Mostul, Cricket Stadium, Purbachal Center, Purbachal East and Purbachal Terminal.
MRT Line 5 Northern Route will run from Hemayetpur in Savar to Bhatara. The 20-kilometer project has an estimated cost of Tk 89,848 crore 36 lakh. The route will have a total of 14 stations. Nine will be underground and five will be elevated.
The underground stations are Gabtoli, Darus Salam, Mirpur 1, Mirpur 10, Mirpur 14, Kachukhet, Banani, Gulshan 2 and Natun Bazar. The elevated stations will be in Hemayetpur, Baliarpur, Bilamalia, Aminbazar and Bhatara.
Meanwhile, the new MRT Line 5 Southern Route will run from Gabtoli to Dasherkandi. Of its total 17.20-kilometer length, 13.10 kilometers will be underground. The project has an estimated cost of Tk 45,503 crore. The ADB and South Korea will jointly finance the project.
The three new lines will create important connections as the northern, eastern and southern parts of the capital are brought under the metro rail network. Key areas including the airport, Kamalapur, Purbachal, Savar, Mirpur, Gulshan, Bhatara and Dasherkandi will be connected to these routes.
Project officials said the new lines will create faster public transport connections between different parts of the capital once they become operational. However, implementation of the projects along with their costs and timelines will depend on whether the work progresses according to the planned schedule.
