Construction work on the Uttara-Agargaon segment of Dhaka Metro Rail is set to be complete this month, a major development in the metro rail project aimed at relieving city dwellers from nagging traffic jam.
Project officials said that Uttara-Agargaon portion of the dream metro rail will be ready after the completion of the work on two staircases of Mirpur 10 and Kazipara stations.
Beautification work on both sides of the road under Uttara-Agargaon segment is underway. The metro rail authorities have also taken initiatives to make people aware of the people in advance.
Total length of Dhaka Metro Rail, known as MRT-6, is 20.1km elevated rail line stretching from Uttara to Motijheel. Uttara-Agargaon segment’s length is 11.73km. The government has a plan to open this segment by December this year.
Overall work progress of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd (DMTCL) has so far been around 95 percent and the rest of the work is progressing fast, according to DMTCL officials.
“Construction work of Uttara-Agargaon segment will end very soon with the completion of two staircases at Mirpur 10 and Kazipara stations,” DMTCL Managing Director MAN Siddique.
He also said tree plantation work is now going on beside Pallabi to Agargaon road.
All the work is advancing as per the government’s plan to open the metro rail’s first phase at the end of 2022. Fourteen sets of electric train have already reached the metro rail’s Uttara depot.
Meanwhile, construction of Stabling Yard and Workshop has been complete while Mobile Synchronised Lifting Jacks have been installed for the maintenance of the metro rail.
Electric tractor has been collected and is already being used for shunting trains on Overhead Catenary System (OCS) less railway track.
The process is underway to collect Rail cum Road Vehicle for Re-Railing of Rail Vehicles.
On the other hand, metro rail exhibition centre and information centre are being set up at Uttara depot area to give people total idea about metro rail. Besides, two sets of mockup trains have been set up at the depot’s MREIC.
Models of Ticket Office Machine (TOM) and Ticket Vending Machine (TVM) have also been installed at MREIC and people are being given training on how to board metro train.