Contract signed for Dhaka metro rail

In a move to timely complete the first-ever Dhaka Metro Rail from Uttara to Motijheel, covering the distance of 18.9 kilometres, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) yesterday signed a contract with Indian Larsen & Toubro (L&T) to provide electricity, signalling and automated fare collection system.

L&T, India and Marubeni, Japan, Joint Venture (JV) has been awarded the contract for the package CP-07 (electro mechanical system for Dhaka Metro Line Project) worth US $450 million. The project is expected to be completed by 2019.

The Dhaka Metro (MRT Line 6) is the first route of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system in Bangladesh. The project is funded by the Japan International Corporation Agency (Jica).

DMTCL Managing Director MAN Siddique and Marubeni Larsen & Toubro Company chief Rajiv Jayati signed the agreement at Bangabandhu International Conference Center.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader attended the event as the chief guest. Indian High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla also attended the ceremony. 

Quader said construction works on the Uttara-Motijheel section of the project is progressing rapidly.

Shringla said India has been actively engaged in the infrastructure sector of Bangladesh.

According to the DMTCL, the metro line will run from Uttara to Motijheel with 16 stations along the way.

The approximate travel time will be a little over 30 minutes. To maintain and use MRT line-6 properly, an international standard rolling stock will also be deployed.

According to the project details, there will be 24 sets of trains, each consisting of six cars initially, with a plan to expand up to eight cars per set in the future.