Metro rail opening: Confusion about final date as PMO nod awaited

A veil of confusion hangs over the official launching date of the second part of the metro rail from Agargaon to Motijheel, as the Dhaka metro-rail company has yet to receive confirmation from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

The official date of inauguration is still October 20 and finishing works are now underway accordingly, according to sources at the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL).

The integrating test for the Mass Rapid Transit Line-6 (MRT-6) operation of the first part from Uttara north to Agargaon, which was temporarily suspended, was successfully completed on Sunday, they said.

Regular train operation for the Uttara-Agargaon stretch will resume on Monday as scheduled, officials confirm.

DMTCL halted train operations from Uttara north to Agargaon over the weekend to conduct the final segment of the integration test, in a bid to synchronise the electric and telecommunication systems along the entire 20.1 km corridor.

The first part of the operation -- Uttara to Agargaon -- has been ongoing since December 30 last year.

However, confusion arose over the inauguration of the second part -- Agargaon to Motijheel -- after Road Transport and Bridge Minister Obaidul Quader announced a new date of October 23 during a briefing with journalists last week.

Both DMTCL and the Road Transport and Highway Division were unaware of this new date.

smunima@yahoo.com