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3 years ago

Test run of metro rail likely this month

One of the Metro Rail coaches is being lifted into a lorry with the help of a crane for transportation to Dhaka Mass Transit Company's depot at Diabari in Uttara, Dhaka on April 22, 2021 — Focus Bangla/Files
One of the Metro Rail coaches is being lifted into a lorry with the help of a crane for transportation to Dhaka Mass Transit Company's depot at Diabari in Uttara, Dhaka on April 22, 2021 — Focus Bangla/Files

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The country's first metro rail is expected to start its test run from Uttara depot site to Pallabi end this month.

Kawasaki-Mitsubishi, the Japanese contractor for the rolling stock of the mass rapid transit line-6 to be set up in the city's north-south corridor, has placed the plan for the test run of the first set of metro trains to confirm the design specification.

As part of six-month plan to complete the test run, sources said, the train set which reached the depot at Uttara on April 23 is likely to be placed on test track after Eid holiday and it will go through checking of different systems including acceleration, braking and electric circuit systems.

Under the test, the train will be running over the viaduct for six months to ensure that its manufacturing for the MRT-6 is no trouble.

The test run of a set of trains will be held once to ensure operation of train's various systems at different levels of speed without trouble, they added.

The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), the state-owned company for the metro rail planning, construction and operation, has already started negotiations with the Japanese contractor to reduce the time for the test run.

Since the first set of train having six coaches reached the workshop of the MRTline-6 depot at Uttara, the Kawasaki-Mitsubishi has been conducting various static tests.

On Tuesday, the first set of train will be connected with electricity to run inside the depot's track. After its successful test, the train will be placed on the test track after Eid holiday, said a source.

According to experts, each set of MRT train will have to go through typed test under which static tests, dynamic tests etc. are carried out inside the workshop of the depot location.

The train wheels, doors or other systems are checked keeping it static and later with movement inside the workshop.

After completing this test, the train is placed on the test track to check wheel power including acceleration and braking system, door opening and its timing and electric circuit system.

The DMTCL has been constructing 20-kilometre mass rapid transit line-6 from Uttara to Kamalapur Railway Station with an early commissioning plan from Uttara to Agarga on in 2019.

Later, the deadline was extended until December 16, 2021.

But the coronavirus pandemic has delayed the process of early commissioning though the DMTCL managing director at apress conference said all works have been done with the target to meet the deadline.

He, however, said the fresh date for launching metro train service will be announced by the government.

The Japanese company has already made five sets of trains ready. The second set of train arrived at Mongla port on Saturday. It has plan to bring the second set of train to the depot site on June 16 through waterway.

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