ECNEC approves 3 metro rail projects

Three metro rail projects received approval at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) despite questions raised prior to their approval.

Questions had emerged regarding an unusual cost increase in two of the projects and the consultant appointment process in another.

Sources from the meeting confirmed that the projects received approval on Wednesday during the ECNEC meeting chaired by Prime Minister and ECNEC Chairman Tarique Rahman. The three approved initiatives include the Metro Rail Line-5 Southern Route, Metro Rail Line-1, and Metro Rail Line-5 Northern Route.

According to officials, the total implementation cost for the three metro rail projects will stand around Tk 2.5 lakh crore. The three initiatives comprise the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) funded MRT Line-1 (Airport-Kamalapur), the revised cost proposal for the MRT Line-5 Northern (Hemayetpur-Bhatara) project and the new MRT Line-5 Southern (Gabtoli-Dasherkandi) project jointly financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and South Korea.

Planning Commission said initially, only the MRT Line-5 Southern project was scheduled for presentation on ECNEC’s main agenda. However, considering integrated progress, authorities decided to submit the cost and duration revision proposals for the MRT Line-1 and MRT Line-5 Northern projects.

Under the project estimates, the total cost for implementing the 31.24-kilometer-long MRT Line-1 has been set at Tk 1,14,394.89 crore. Meanwhile, the total cost for the 20-kilometer-long MRT Line-5 Northern project is estimated at Tk 89,848.36 crore.

The estimated cost for the 17.20-kilometer-long MRT Line-5 Southern project, which includes a 13.10-kilometer underground section, has been fixed at Tk 45,503 crore.