Three studies on Kamalapur multi-modal transport hub as agencies differ

A move is on to undertake three separate studies following the BR’s failure to resolve conflicts in getting the required space for different transport modes at the planned Kamalapur multimodal transport hub.

The Bangladesh Railway (BR) with the help of the Public-Private Partnership Authority (PPPA) will conduct a study to manage its conventional line and another for the high-speed train at the hub.

Again, the project's Japanese private partner Kajima Corporation has started its own study on the conceptual proposal to make it viable under the PPP model.

The Japan International Cooperation Agency, which facilitates the development of metro rail, has also constituted a team to study the project following space constraints in the hub area.

Sources say studies are crucial as agencies engaged in projects like mass rapid transit (MRT) and Dhaka elevated expressway (DEE) failed to find any solution.

Kajima placed the conceptual design to the BR two years ago.

Last week, a coordination meeting on the proposed hub was hosted virtually where conflicting issues were discussed with different agencies to find a way out.

The BR planned to build the hub under the PPP model following an idea from the strategic transport plan (STP) which was later picked by Kajima during the Bangladesh-Japan Joint Platform meeting in 2018.

The hub was one of the six PPP projects to be executed under the government-to-government PPP arrangement.

Kajima placed a design on 256 acres of land for a business hub, public square and bus terminal alongside the transport hub after holding several meetings with a sub-working group formed during the platform meeting.

Sources said the BR started facing trouble in proceeding with the design for lack of coordination.

They said the Bangladesh Bridges Authority (BBA) and the Dhaka Mass Transit Corporation Limited (DMTCL) had their own plan to accommodate DEE and MRT with the rail station before the transport hub concept was prepared without the BR's knowledge.

The conflict reached a crescendo when the railways minister after a similar meeting said the existing iconic rail station might need demolition or shifting making a replica building in the project area.

Sources said the BR did not accept entrance to the DEE ramp planned by the BBA while it could not agree with the DMTCL proposal of setting up the last station of the under-construction MRT-06.

Besides, the problem with the MRT-01 station was also not resolved.

They said MRT-02 and MRT-04 are still conceptually found in the STP showing a link with Kamalapur station.

Al Fattah Mohammad Masudur Rahman, the focal point of the BR project, said studies might help all the agencies to find an amicable solution.

The PPPA has initiated to appoint a transaction adviser to conduct the study in favour of the government as the BR has to continue its conventional service along with any future service to manage millions of passengers.

"The studies will help us start better negotiations and coordination in future as we all want the project's success," Mr Rahman told the FE at his office.

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