Dhaka Metro Rail to launch in December, will run from dawn to midnight

Dhaka Metro Rail will be launched in the Uttara-Agargaon portion in December this year and carry passengers from dawn to midnight every day.

The system integration test will begin on Sept 1. After some more tests, the train will start running in December, said MAN Siddique, managing director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited, in a press briefing on Monday.

The test will be conducted to check whether everything, including the metro rail’s electrical connections, and train signals, is working properly. Trains will be operated through simulators from October, Siddique said.

Initially, trains will run every 10 minutes, the DMTCL MD said. Ten sets of trains have been prepared. Each of these sets has six compartments.

As the passengers of Dhaka become somewhat accustomed and their number increases, the interval between the trains will be reduced, Siddique said.

According to him, the metro rail will have four station plazas and another is under construction that will have parking facilities.

“Passengers can get into a car and get down from here. Apart from this, long-term car parking is available at the terminal stations.”

Siddique said an agreement with Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation, or BRTC, is almost in place to transport metro rail passengers on different routes from Agargaon and Uttara.

“We agreed almost 95 percent on everything. There are a couple of small issues to thrash out and the MoU will be signed next week. BRTC will give us this support once the deal is signed.”