MRT Line-6: Agargaon-Motijheel part to open Oct 20

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will open the Agargaon-Motijheel section of the metro rail on October 20, bringing 20.10km of the entire MRT Line-6 into operation.

The remaining 1.16km Motijheel-Kamalapur section is yet to be open.

She will also inaugurate the construction work of MRT Line-5 (northern route) on September 16 and open 140 new bridges under the Roads and Highways Department on October 22.

The same day, Hasina will also launch the compensation programme for road accident victims and a vehicle inspection centre.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader made the announcements at a press briefing at his ministry yesterday.

Earlier, he announced that the Dhaka Elevated Expressway will partially open on September 2, while the Bangabandhu Tunnel in Chattogram will be open to the public on October 28.

Apart from these, four new rail lines, the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, second unit of Rampal Power Plant and the Purbachal Expressway are expected to be opened within October.

The development projects are opening just months shy of the national election, and the ruling party is sure to showcase these across the country as evidence of its achievements.

However, not all of them would be fully opened or functional on the day of the launching, as some works, including hiring adequate manpower to run them, will still remain incomplete at the time.

Quader, also the general secretary of ruling Awami League, however, denied any link between the general election and the inauguration spree of the mega projects.

AGARGAON-MOTIJHEEL SECTION

On July 7, Quader inaugurated the performance test on Agargaon-Motijheel section and announced that it would be open to the public late October. The authorities also planned to initially open three out of its seven stations.

After opening the section, the PM will address a rally at Suhrawardy Udyan at 3:00pm, Quader said.

MRT-5 (NORTHERN ROUTE) WORKS

The road minister said the PM will inaugurate the construction work of MRT Line-5 (northern route) on September 16, after which she will address another rally at Savar at 11:00am.

The Tk 41,239 crore project was taken to build a 20km rail line from Savar's Hemayetpur to Bhatara via Gabtoli, Mirpur, and Gulshan, and its deadline is 2028. The line with 14 stations will have underground and elevated sections.

On May 23, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) hired a joint venture firm of Japan's TOA Corporation and Bangladesh's Spectra Group to develop land for the line's depot at Hemayetpur at a cost of Tk 1,189 crore.

The firm on July 16 started mobilising their equipment and manpower and has begun preparatory work.

140 BRIDGES, 12 OVERPASSES

Hasina will also open 140 bridges and 12 overpasses under Roads and Highways Department on October 22, Quader said.

Earlier, the PM inaugurated 100 bridges under the RHD on November 7 last year. On December 21, she also opened 100 roads constructed or reconstructed by the RHD.

On October 22, which is National Road Safety Day, she will inaugurate the compensation programme for the road accident victims.

Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) officials said they have so far received 243 applications under a new process to get compensation for road accident victims or their family members.

The same day, she will also inaugurate a vehicle inspection centre at BRTA's Mirpur office. The centre will help the authority give accurate fitness clearance to vehicles.