Metro rail: BRTC to provide shuttle services for passengers
The metro rail authorities will sign an agreement with BRTC on Wednesday to provide shuttle bus services to metro rail passengers as the country's first metro rail service is going to be in operation partially from December, with 10 sets of trains.
State-run Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) will provide the services from both ends --Uttara and Agargaon -- to some particular destinations, which will be amended later, said officials.
DMTCL and BRTC will sign a contract on Wednesday to provide the bus services, ABM Amin Ullah Nuri, secretary of Road Transport and Highway Division told The Daily Star last night.
Transport experts, however, feared that partial operation of metro rail may intensify traffic congestion at the Agargaon point and the lack of planning might harm metro rail ridership.
Maj Md Moktaruzzmaan, BTRC general manager, said they have already received a draft copy of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) from DMTCL.
"We will provide the shuttle services within our capacity, keeping the existing BRTC routes intact," he told this correspondent.
He also said the number of buses and the routes will be fixed upon internal consultation with the DMTCL authorities.
MAN Siddique, DMTCL managing director, said there would be a provision in the MoU with an option to hire private bus operators to provide services to the passengers.
He said the buses will connect the major hubs in the capital like Farmgate, Shahbagh, Mohakhali and Gulistan.
"The design for the pick-up and drop points at both ends have already been finalised and will be ready before the launching of metro rail services," he added.
Replying to a question, Siddique said BRTC will provide better quality buses for the services.
However, transport expert Prof Hadiuzzaman said as the authorities are opening the service partially, they are unlikely to have any approximate estimates about the possible number of passengers.
"Under such circumstances, it would be very difficult to prepare a plan for shuttle or feeder services," he said.
"Agargaon is already a congested area. The partial operation of metro rail will intensify the traffic congestion there due to the lack of space for a bus stoppage," he added.
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