Stuck in limbo Tk 1.47t new MRT works

Large-haul rapid travel leapfrogging the gridlock in Dhaka remains an unfulfilled dream as Tk1.47-trillion new metro-rail works miss takeoff for endorsement procrastination.

Sources have said anomalies in implementing the already-running metro rail on the designated line 6 derailed three more mass rapid transit (MRT) projects.

The fresh metro-rail-development works got caught in limbo as government authorities guessed variegated mismatches in the under-implementation projects within approved plans and budget.

As Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) has already found problems like blocked systems in passenger gates, lower -capacity signalling system etc while trying to increase capacity of the already-running mass rapid transit-line 6 (MRT 6), sources said, any new contracts or decisions related to three other MRT projects were not approved during the last one year.

They have said although tender process of MRT 1 and MRT 5 north began long before, the DMTCL board has yet to approve any of those and repeatedly sent the docs back for review or on different queries. The last meeting held on June 2 also returned the contract package 5 of MRT 1, which was supposed to select the company to start to set up underground metro rail, for further review of the report through another committee.

The meeting also brought to the fore different issues, mostly related to the cost, after comparing budget or expenditure of the company-framed various components with that of neighbouring countries.

"Not a single contract or decision is finalised from the board, even on petty issues," says one insider, on condition of anonymity.

As the lone state-controlled company to plan, build, operate and maintain mass-transit system, DMTCL has now projects costing Tk 1.76 trillion to develop 128.74-kilometre metro network in the city's east-west and north-south corridors. Of these, Tk 334.71 billion MRT 6 from Uttara to Motijheel is under operation after the completion of 20.1- km elevated track and its extension up to Kamalapur rail-station is now underway.

However, DMTCL Managing Director Faruque Ahmed fends off allegations about all works of the three projects having been stagnant, saying that all the projects are progressing with due reviews and inspections.

Engineer Faruque, who joined last February as the first MD recruited from among Bangladesh expatriates, told the FE writer that MRT 5 North was now "in good shape and MRT 5 South awaiting ECNEC approval after revision of the cost".

But insiders say after finding the passenger gates not suitable for debit and credit card or QR code to recover from Rapid Pass or single- journey ticket crisis, the company detected anomalies like lower specifications in the purchase of many materials in the tender documents compared to the latest available technology.

Besides, as the company could not introduce the two more coaches into the six-coach train sets much earlier than DPP-suggested provision to increase the coach number in 2030, it also assessed new demand side to add in the tender. Due to the lacking in MRT 6, DMTCL now needs to invest afresh in the infrastructure, signalling and software system.

Transport experts also have alleged that the company, DMTCL, has been grabbed by non-technical bureaucrats for not doing company recruitment in time. And so specifications of most of the tenders were not reviewed properly and accepted whatever development partners and contractors suggested and supplied for a lack of knowledge on high-tech systems.

"They even did not check the procured equipment or technology with the specifications at the end of the work," says an insider, preferring not to be quoted by name.

Asked about all this, the MD admitted the anomalies, saying: "For all these reasons, we have to be cautious about all other tender documents now for avoiding similar problems or future difficulties."

The MRT company had functioned under an MD who was secretary of Road Transport and Highways Division under which the DMTCL was formed in 2013. Most officials even now are working either on deputation and contractual appointment after retirement from different ministries although the company's own over 1900 skilled manpower ought to have been reared through trainings before the commissioning the MRT 6 as the first mass-transit system in the country.

The MRT-six project went into operation with the project director who was a non-technical government retired official in this latest trade.

Transport-expert Professor Mohammad Shamsul Hoque says for sustainable context, review of all contracts and works are necessary for developing the system. "Metro-rail development is highly expert-oriented work and everyone is liable for ensuring quality at every layer of the transportation."

A teacher of Civil Engineering Department of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), Prof Hoque notes that to make DMTCL efficient and functional, necessary time should have to be provided to address all related issues which were not done properly.

The technology professor, who has so far been vocal on DMTCL's proper functioning with skilled manpower, was one of the directors of DMTCL board according to the position of Director of Accident Research Institute. But he was removed by the previous retired bureaucrat MD without showing any grounds or notice, which stands out as infraction of the Company Act.

However, consultants and project sources have said that, so far, problems identified by the new management in the MRT 6 were not addressed properly. They also have said many decisions in the MRT 6 were taken considering the country context and passenger behaviours due to not being familiar with MRT systems as the DPP was formulated 12 to 13 years ago.

Regarding the high cost of underground metro-rail projects in comparison with other countries, another official says, cost prediction of underground metro, including MRT 1, cannot be final as none knows of soil behaviour in the city due to no such work having been done until now. "For this reason, selection of qualified high-ranking company is necessary."

It is also learnt that DMTCL has also now directed review of the consultancy cost of the supervision work of MRT 1 which was signed in 2022. The contract package 5 of the MRT 1 was returned from the board of directors for further review by another committee in the last meeting, which, sources said, is contradictory to PPR, FIDIC and JICA guidelines.

But DMTCL still wants to review tender documents, including of those which have been proceeded upon. Cost of 8-km underground section of 30.9-km Patra metro rail and three underground stations' costs were estimated Rs 16.83 billion and Rs 13.77 billion.

When a consultancy package of Thane metro in Maharashtra was also won as lowest bid of Rs 1.87 billion, DMTCL board questioned about the contract of MRT 1-construction-supervision consultancy at Tk 13 billion though the Indian rupee conversion rate with the Bangladeshi currency is 1.5.

Among DMTCL's mandate are six MRTs, Japan International Cooperation Agency has so far supported MRTs 6, 1 and 5 North as lone financier. The Asian Development Bank is financing the MRT 5 South with a partner, probably Korea.

smunima@yahoo.com