The country's first metro rail project, Mass Rapid Transit-6, may miss its completion deadline in December next year if the construction suffers any further delays.

During the nearly two months of shutdown, the construction progressed by only 0.55 percent and only about 15 percent of the workers have returned to the site after the coronavirus restrictions were lifted.

Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd (DMTCL), which is implementing the project, is behind its target of completing 65 percent work by June this year as its overall progress was 44.67 percent as of May, according to documents.

"It would be difficult to meet the deadline [in December 2021] if the coronavirus situation prolongs further," DMTCL Managing Director MAN Siddique said.

The Tk 22,000 crore Mass Rapid Transit-6 will connect Uttara 3rd Phase with Motijheel. About 60,000 people will be able to travel per hour using the service.

The original implementation period of the project was 2012-2024. Following the prime minister's directive, the deadline was first set for December this year and then extended to December 2021.

BEHIND TARGET
Officials at a meeting on January 7 discussed that it would not be possible to utilise the money allocated for the project for this year, a DMTCL official said.

The authorities planned to open the metro rail to the public on December 16, 2021, when the country would celebrate the golden jubilee of its independence, according to minutes from that meeting.

But there were other causes behind the delay besides coronavirus.

Bearing pads supplied by the contractor to be used under the tracks failed twice, delaying the process, said an official.

"Construction work near Bangla Academy has to remain suspended for about two months every year due to the book fair. This should have been considered while preparing the plan," reads the meeting minutes.

Besides, a Japanese screw piling method, expected to speed up work, reportedly proved incompatible and the method was ditched several months after introducing it in February last year.

DMTCL chief MAN Siddique said the project progress report did not fully reflect the reality because many completed tasks had not been mentioned in it.

He added that there were still hopes of meeting this fiscal year's target.

Besides, some components being made in Japan, Italy and India were not counted in the progress report, he added.

"You will see a big leap in terms of progress," he claimed.

Construction work is now going on at more than 10 points and the number will increase gradually, he said.

He said around 10,000 local and foreign engineers and workers are involved in the physical work. Over 1,500 of them have joined work, he said recently.

The company has requested the Directorate General of Health Service (DGHS) to set up booths for its workers to get tested for coronavirus.

He added that the contractors may hire more workers to make up for the lost time without violating the social distancing rules.