Among the five additional metro rail lines set to be built in the capital, MRT Line 1 from Dhaka airport to Kamalapur will mark Bangladesh's first underground metro rail. The project authorities aim to complete the construction of the underground metro rail by December 2026, leaving just two years until the trains are expected to begin operations underground.
Currently, however, construction for the depot, where the trains will be maintained, has not yet commenced on the designated land for the project; only piling work is being conducted at the site.
Once the depot is constructed, other activities, such as laying rail tracks and building stations, will follow.
While much of the work is not yet visible, authorities remain optimistic about completing the project on schedule and launching the underground metro rail as planned.
According to project data, the construction of the underground metro rail will be carried out in 12 phases. The initial phase involves land development and piling in Pitalganj for the depot's construction.
In subsequent phases, the depot will be built, and tunnels and stations will be constructed underground over four additional phases.
The construction of this line began on February 2 of last year, and 75% of the first phase is currently completed. This phase is expected to be finalized by August of next year. After finishing the piling work on the 94-acre site, the infrastructure for the depot will be built in the second phase.
As work progresses on the first phase, the tendering process for contractors to start on the remaining 11 phases is ongoing.
An anonymous project official stated that the authorities plan to finalize contracts with selected contractors for the remaining 11 packages by December, allowing them to begin work by March of next year.
Initially, underground construction was scheduled to start in September but has been delayed by approximately six months. However, this delay is not anticipated to affect the timely completion of MRT Line 1, according to the official.
"We will begin constructing the underground section in the fifth phase, which is the main component of Line 1, and we expect swift progress. Therefore, despite the six-month delay, we anticipate completing the project within the designated timeframe and budget. If everything proceeds as planned, the project can be finished by December 2026."
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) is providing both financial and technical support for the country's first underground metro rail, covering three-quarters of the project's total cost of around Tk 52,500 crore.
Japanese technology will also be utilized in the construction of the underground railway and stations.
Route and Stations: MRT Line 1 will consist of two sections. One section, from the airport to Kamalapur, will be entirely underground, while the other section, from Natun Bazaar to Purbachal, will primarily be elevated, with two stations being exceptions.
The airport section will include a total of 12 stations: Airport, Terminal 3, Khilkhet, Nodda, Natun Bazar, Uttar Badda, Badda, Aftabnagar, Rampura, Malibagh, Rajarbagh, and Kamalapur.
Meanwhile, the Purbachal route will feature eight stations: Natun Bazar, Nodda, Joar Sahara, Boalia, Mastul, Sheikh Hasina Stadium (the tender process for which was canceled in August), Purbachal Centre, Purbachal East, and Purbachal Terminal.
The depot for MRT Line 1 will be located in Pitalganj, Rupganj.
Other Metro Rail Lines: Work is also progressing on MRT Line 5 (Northern), which will extend from Hemayetpur to Vatara, covering a total distance of 20 kilometers and featuring 14 stations (nine underground and five elevated).
The construction of MRT Line 5 will take place in 10 phases. Official work on this line commenced on November 4 of last year, and land development for the depot at Hemayetpur is currently underway in the first phase, which was about 27% complete by September. The tender processes for contractors for the remaining nine phases are at various stages.
Mohammad Abdur Rouf, managing director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd, stated last month that the construction of other metro rail lines will continue as planned.
"We must proceed according to plan. Each line has a target for project implementation. Our goal is to launch Line 1, the first underground metro rail, by 2026, and gradually bring the remaining metro rail lines into operation by 2030," he informed journalists at the MRT Line 6 depot office on October 14.
