Foot-dragging over MRT

Detailed reports published not long ago in the media on the proposed route of the MRT 2 and 3 made many eager Dhaka metro rail travellers feel quite upbeat. The vital and large swathes under the two vast MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) coverage areas include those in the capital's south-western and north-eastern segments. Meanwhile, according to a recent FE report, the city residents may have to wait for six to seven more years before they can see the two MRT lines come into being. In another depressing development, the ambitious project of MRT-5 got Tk 8.0 billion worth of allocation in FY 2023 for the phase-wise works, which was revised down by 49.24 per cent to Tk 4.06 billion in the development budget for the same year. The National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved MRT Line-5's Northern Route worth Tk 412. 38 billion, in October, 2019, to develop a rapid metro transit connecting Hemayetpur to Bhatara via Gabtoli, Mirpur-1 and 10 and 14, Banani, Gulshan-2 and Natun Bazar. It also approved the MRT-1 development project which was set to cost Tk 519 billion.

People in a large traffic-gridlocked city looks to a fully functional MRT system in place. It adds speed and dynamism of different nature to all areas of a city's life. Coming to the second and third metro-rail lines, the two MRT routes in the capital have almost hit a deadlock, as the construction company DMTCL couldn't yet start physical works. In another development, the Japanese lender JICA had confirmed the project loan for the MRT lines a couple of years ago. Likewise, the physical construction works of MRT-1 and MRT-5 are yet to start although the government approved both the projects four years ago.

Against this backdrop, many would like to call the MRT Lines' work progressing at a pace which continues to falter. Thus on the eve of Dhaka's entering the age of metro-rail age, its lackadaisical utilisation of funds earmarked for the MRT projects cannot but disappoint citizens. According to sources, the Dhaka Mass Transport Company Limited (DMTCL) has not only failed to begin the physical works, it has surrendered allocations in the annual development programme (ADP) for both the development works.

That all the half-heartedness and foot-dragging are set to invite the projects' cost escalation remains implied. It has happened in case of the majority of large projects and it is most likely to happen with these two projects too. As a result, viability could be at risk. The DMTCL is expected to build the proposed underground metro rail --- 31-kilometre MRT Line-1, from Airport to Kamalapur, and 20km MRT Line-5 from Hemayetpur to Vatara. A senior Economic Relations Division official finds that if DMTCL fails to start the project work on time, the government has to pay a 0.2 per cent commitment fee on the undisbursed amount of the total loan confirmed by the JICA for these projects. In this regard, experts observe that the process of taking loan and making delays in the projects' execution for an indefinite period is no cakewalk. Apart from quasi-bad blood at various levels, it may run the risk of jeopardising warm ties. On the assumed procrastination on the MRT-5 project, a DMTCL official says they are trying their best to start the physical works of the MRTs within the next year. Let it happen without fail.