First Set of Metro Trains: 3 of 6 coaches shifted to Diabari depot
Three coaches, out of six of the first set of metro trains, have been shifted to the metro rail depot in Dhaka's Diabari yesterday.
The next three coaches are expected to be shifted today, ABM Arifur Rahman, a project manager of Mass Rapid Transit Line or MRT-6, told The Daily Star.
"They [coaches] were kept inside the workshop's inspection area. Apart from the individual test of the coaches, integrated test would be carried out," he added.
The test may take up to two months and then the authorities will go for trial run which may take more than six months, sources said.
Registering a major development to the country's first ever metro rail project, the first set of metro trains reached Dhaka on Wednesday.
Two barges carrying the coaches anchored at the newly-constructed jetty of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), the implementing agency of the project, at Dhaka's Diabari.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said the works for shifting the coaches from jetty to depot started in the morning.
He said he second set of trains was loaded to barge on Wednesday and those are expected to reach the depot on June 16 and third and fourth sets are expected to reach within August 13 and the fifth set on September 17.
The minister said this while talking to the officials of Roads and Highways Department's Gopalganj zone and Bangladesh Road Transport Authority and Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation through a video conference.
The overall progress of the project is at 61.49 percent till March this year, he said.
The first phase -- from Uttara to Agargaon -- saw 83.52 percent progress, second phase -- from Agargaon to Motijheel -- witnessed 57.68 percent progress. The other part which is regarding installation of rail tracks and other equipment and procuring coaches saw 52.22 percent progress till this March, he added.
Mass Rapid Transit Line-6 or MRT-6, the country's first ever metro rail, is being constructed from Dhaka's Uttara third phase area to Motijheel at the cost of Tk 22,000 crore.
Once completed, the rail service -- which has 16 stations -- will be able to carry 60,000 passengers per hour, reducing travel time from Uttara to Motijheel to at least less than an hour from the current two hours.
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