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Physical work of Mass Rapid Transit line-1 (MRT-1) is likely to begin after its groundbreaking ceremony on January 26 - within a month after launching the first metro-rail (MRT-6) in the city.
Prime Minister (PM) Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the MRT-1 work - both underground and elevated - whose depot land development will begin after the inauguration.
Sources said the Road Transport and Highways Division (RTHD) is yet to receive the signed summery - sent in this connection to the Prime Minister's Office - but unofficially the date has been confirmed.
The Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Company Ltd (DMTCL), the state-owned metro-rail implementing company, sent the summery through the RTHD on January 02 - seeking a date for inauguration of the first underground metro-rail.
The MRT-6 has been operated from Uttara to Agargaon since December 29 with a limited number of passengers for four hours a day to enable commuters as well the DMTCL personnel to be habituated with the new kind of transport.
DMTCL Managing Director M A N Siddique in a press conference on Monday declared inauguration of the MRT-1 in this month by the Prime Minister.
Japan-Bangladesh joint venture of Tokyu Construction Company Ltd (TCCL) and Max Infrastructure has been awarded its land development work at a cost of Tk 6.07 billion. Its contract was signed on November 24.
The depot will be developed on 88.71 acres land at Pitolganj and Brahmankhali in Rupganj upazila near the Kanchan Bridge.
The work includes land filling, soil improvement, drainage channel, peripheral road construction, slope protection, and settlement monitoring, which will be completed in 30 months after commencement of the work, sources said.
The DMTCL has been working to develop the 31.24-kilometre MRT-1 at a cost of Tk 525.61 billion, including Tk 394.50 billion assistance from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Some 19.87-km underground part will be built from Airport station to Kamlapur station with 12 stations and 11.36-km elevated section from Kuril to Purbachal with nine stations. The MRT will have connectivity with other MRTs at four points.
The MRT-1 is planned to be completed by 2026 by setting up underground stations at Airport, Airport Terminal, Khilkhet, Nodda, Notun Bazar, North Badda, Badda, Aftab Nagar, Rampura, Malibag, Rajarbag and Kamlapur.
Elevated stations will be built at Notun Bazar, Nodda, Joar Sahara, Boalia, Mastul, Sheikh Hasina Cricket Station, Purbachal Centre, Purbachal East and Purbachal Terminal.
The government has planned to develop six MRTs in the city by 2023 for establishing a metro-rail network.