Dhaka: Metrorail will start operating in the capital on a trial basis from Sunday (August 29). This passenger-free test run between Uttara and Pallabi stations is called 'Performance Test'.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader will inaugurate the train service at 10 am today at the depot built for Metrorail in Uttara.
Earlier on Friday (August 27), for the first time, Metrorail was run on a viaduct from Diabari depot to Pallabi as part of preparations.
The people of the capital are happy that the much awaited metro rail is going to become a reality. On Friday morning, the people of the area became emotional after seeing the Metro rail in Viaduct. From the house, someone took pictures of the train running from the roof of the house, someone made a video and spread it through social media.
Managing Director (MD) of Dhaka Mass Transport Company Limited, the implementing agency of the Metrorail project, M A N Siddique told the media that the train would be officially launched on Sunday on the newly constructed viaduct. It will be a passenger-free experimental operation.
He said the train was run on Friday morning to check if there were any problems with the viaduct. However, it was not experimental. The main purpose was to see if the viaduct that had been constructed for so long was working properly.
At present, a total of 12 coaches of two sets have arrived at the Uttara Diabari Metrorail depot in Dhaka, with six of the first set arriving in Dhaka on April 21 and six more in the second set on June 1. Each set on the Metrorail will have four passenger coaches, two engines on each side.
The Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Authority says it can carry about 1,700 passengers per square meter at the busiest time of the year.
According to the people involved in the project, the overall work progress of MRT-6 has been 61.49 percent. The construction work of Agargaon section has been almost 100 percent completed from the third phase of Uttara scheduled for the construction of the first phase. The progress of the construction work from Agargaon to Motijheel section scheduled for the second phase has been about 60 percent. The integrated progress of electrical and mechanical systems and rolling stock and depot equipment procurement work has been more than half. The cost of implementing this project is about Tk. 22 thousand crore.