The Metro Rail's proposed alternative route through Khamarbari, Farmgate will face a number of obstructions if the government intends to avoid encroaching upon the parliament premises.
A couple of buildings of Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (Barc) and most part of Islamia Eye Hospital will come under demolition to make way for metro's turning at Barc's southwest corner near Manik Mia Avenue intersection, said Mubasshar Hussein, president of Institute of Architects Bangladesh (IAB).
To make a turn, Metro requires at least 200-metre radius of space, which is missing at the site, said noted civil engineer Prof Jamilur Reza Chowdhury.
The proposed alternative route runs along Sangsad Avenue, takes a left turn near Barc, goes along Khamarbari road and makes a right turn near Farmgate police box.
In the weekly cabinet meeting on Monday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, as quoted by a cabinet member, said the alternative metro route would not occupy an inch of the parliament premises.
According to official sources, Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica), the lone foreign financer of the project, submitted two drawings based on Khamarbari route and one on Bijoy Sarani.
One of the Khamarbari designs suggests that the metro will require a 49-metre stretch into the parliament's eastern premises to facilitate the turning while the other suggests that the route can go occupying central reservation of Sangsad Avenue.
But the latter case design demands demolition of buildings. Sources in the project said it is impractical to demolish and displace the Barc establishment which greatly contributes to the country's food production.
Moreover, if the 10-metre pillars of the metro rail are set up on the narrow central reservation on Sangsad Avenue, it will reduce the road width significantly (more than 10 feet) and there will be no pavements, said Mubasshar referring to a technical presentation on metro rail organised by IAB on Monday.
Metro also has to go three metres higher at difficult turnings in addition to its original height of 19 metres to pass over two elevated ramps of proposed elevated expressway.
“Taking a turn and climbing up a slope simultaneously is risky,” said Mubasshar, “It will hinder increasing the number of compartments of the train from six to 10 to serve more passengers in future.”
Tanwir Nawaz, a transport sector expert, who worked for Dhaka Transport Coordination Board, said it depends on the detailed design to ascertain the extent of demolition and the means of resolving the difficulties.
However, Jica study team and local experts observed that the route through Bijoy Sarani is the most convenient and has the adequate width.
Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) objected to it on the plea that it would obstruct air operation at Tejgaon airfield during war and emergency.
Although the experts said that BAF objection was unfounded, government opted for the alternative route.
“We are waiting for the government decision,” said an official of Jica that has pledged 80 percent of the estimated $ 2.7 billion for constructing the 20.1-kilometre line from Uttara third phase to Bangladesh Bank, Motijheel.