Construction activities have resumed in the metro rail project maintaining hygiene rules and social distancing, with a view to completing the construction on schedule.

As the government relaxed the shutdown , the concerned authority is conducting the construction work in two shifts so that they can complete the work that was stagnated during the coronavirus shutdown.

Concerned officials said, despite the Japanese consultants and engineers staying abroad due to the coronavirus, they are providing work related directions through video conferencing.

Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd (DMTCL) Managing Director, MAN Siddique while visiting the Uttara Depot area told journalists , "Through innovative ideas without presence of Japanese consultants and engineers, we have started our Dhaka University (DU) area construction work. They are monitoring work progress online".

Maintaining hygiene rules and social distancing, installing of electric wires, rail lines, and construction of stations is continuing," he added.

According to project progress details, from Uttara to Agargaon the project has achieved 75 percent progress, while from Agargaon to Motijheel, 42 percent work has been completed. Land development is completed in the depot area, besides, construction work of nine stations from Uttara North to Agargaon is 72 percent done, and seven stations from Agargaon to Karwan Bazar, 42 percent.

Meanwhile, the piling work of the capital's first metro rail at  DU is continuing on a limited scale. Project concerned at the construction site informed they are aiming to complete the piling work by August.

Even though the construction work of metro rail remained suspended due to the outbreak of the global pandemic, the DMTCL authorities are not moving away from their stipulated target of inaugurating it in 2021. DMTCL also wants to make the work of the new extension from Motijheel to Kamalapur visible soon without increasing the cost.

It is to be noted that the construction of the 20-kilometer Metrorail route from Uttara to Motijheel via Mirpur under package 6 of the Mass Rapid Transit or MRT project began in June 2016.

The Metro Rail will take a commuter 40 minutes to reach Kamalapur from Uttara. The stations will be as high as three-storey buildings and be accessed by escalators and lifts.

Ticket counter and other facilities will be available on the second floor. The authorities said 12 trains will run on the routes.

Officials said that as part of the government’s plan to free the capital of nagging traffic congestion, five rail routes will be constructed in the city’s different areas in phases by 2030.

Once the 20.1-kilometre Metro Rail with 16 stations goes into operation, it is expected to transport around 60,000 passengers every hour.