The construction work of the country’s first ever metro rail is progressing in full swing maintaining health guidelines amid COVID-19 pandemic with completion of its overall 49.15 percent construction, an official said.

“Workers, technicians, engineers and other concerned are working ‘day-night’ to complete the construction work of the metro rail from Uttara to Motijheel as its overall 49.15 percent construction has been accomplished,” Managing Director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) MAN Siddique told BSS on Friday.

The overall physical progress of the first phase construction of the metro rail from Uttara to Agargaon is 75.50 percent, he said, adding the construction progress of the second phase from Agargaon to Motijheel stood at 42.50 percent.

He said at present, 10.86-kilometer viaduct out of 11.73-kilometer metro rail between Uttara and Agargaon has become visible. “The construction work of MRT Line-6 in city under the Fast Track project is going on in full swing,” he added.

Siddique hoped that if the current pace of work continues by following safety rules during the ongoing coronavirus situation, the rail project might be completed within December 2022.

According to the project details, rail coaches have been built in Japan to ply Line-6 track from Diabari of Uttara to Motijheel in city as coaches are waiting for shipment and the shipment will start as soon as the corona situation improves.

Rail tracks are being set up from Diabari to Mirpur section where electric lines are also being installed, it said.

It also said there will have a total of 16 stations on the 21-km route of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line-6 and the digital devices will be used in all stations.
The stations include Uttara North, Uttara Center, Uttara South, Pallabi, Mirpur-11, Mirpur-10, Kazipara, Shewrapara, Agargaon, Bijoy Sarawni, Farmgate, Karwan Bazar, Shahbag, Dhaka University, Bangladesh Secretariat and Motijheel.

“If everything goes normal, people of the city will be able to travel from Diabari to Motijheel by the dream metro rail before stipulated time,” Siddique said.

He said work is underway to install rail tracks and power lines in Mirpur part. “The areas where viaduct is installed, the rail tracks and power lines are also being set up there,” he went on saying.

While visiting the metro rail project site, labourers are seen working persistently. At the same time, construction of the stations and installation of railway tracks are in progress. In Mirpur-Motijheel section, viaduct is being installed by large cranes; on which the rail tracks will be laid.  Technicians and workers said they are following health guidelines to avert the coronavirus infection while working “24 hours a day” to complete the project timely.

The metro rail project is being constructed at the cost of Taka 219.85 billion, of which, Japan’s aid agency JICA will provide Tk 165 billion.