Dhaka metro rail to be mostly elevated
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Dhaka metro rail to be mostly elevated
First phase to link Sonargaon crossing with Pallabi; project likely to end by 2015
Sharier Khan
The first part of a mostly elevated metro rail system in the capital will be built mainly over government land and existing roads, based on a Japanese study, said Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain.
Japan showed interest in financing 80 percent of the project cost as well, amounting to US$1.7 billion. The remaining 20 percent of the cost will be borne by the government.
The government is expecting Japan to finalise the funding during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to that country in January or February next year.
Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) conducted the study on the metro rail system, and determined that it will be doable if the majority part is built over the surface. The communications minister said some parts however will be underground.
"This project will not be a public private partnership like the elevated expressway," Syed Abul Hossain told The Daily Star recently. Rather it will be a government project funded by Japan, he added. If Japan provides untied loan, the government will go for open tender.
The Jica study chalked out three routes. Japan showed interest in the first part dubbed Mass Rail Transit-6.
This part will be 22-kilometre long, said Dr SM Salehuddin, additional executive director of Dhaka Transport Coordination Board. The route stretches between Uttara Third Phase and Sayedabad via Pallabi, Chandrima Udyan, and Hotel Sonargaon crossing.
The remaining two parts involve circular routes from Gulshan-1, Mirpur, Azimpur, National Press Club, and Gulshan-2.
Dr Salehuddin noted that enterprises from China, Iran, India and Malaysia showed interest in the second and third parts of the project.
The Chinese and Iranians are particularly interested in the Gulshan to Mirpur route.
According to the study, financial negotiations between Japan and Bangladesh could be completed by June next year, after which a detailed engineering study will be carried out till December 2013.
By July 2013, the government will be able to begin construction of the first phase. An ongoing environmental impact assessment will be completed by January next year.
In the first stage of construction, the metro rail will be built between Pallabi and Hotel Sonargaon crossing between 2013 and 2015. In the second stage the route between Sonargaon crossing and Sayedabad, and in the third stage the Pallabi to Uttara route will be built.
The study noted that the construction cost of the elevated part will be around 12 million dollars per km, while the underground structure will cost 48 million dollars per km.
The communications ministry also decided to shelve an idea of building a mono rail. The minister said initially it was thought that a mono rail could be built along with the ongoing bid for the 21 km Dhaka Expressway. But a primary study found that to be technically impossible.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Dhaka metro rail to be mostly elevated
First phase to link Sonargaon crossing with Pallabi; project likely to end by 2015
Sharier Khan
The first part of a mostly elevated metro rail system in the capital will be built mainly over government land and existing roads, based on a Japanese study, said Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain.
Japan showed interest in financing 80 percent of the project cost as well, amounting to US$1.7 billion. The remaining 20 percent of the cost will be borne by the government.
The government is expecting Japan to finalise the funding during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's visit to that country in January or February next year.
Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) conducted the study on the metro rail system, and determined that it will be doable if the majority part is built over the surface. The communications minister said some parts however will be underground.
"This project will not be a public private partnership like the elevated expressway," Syed Abul Hossain told The Daily Star recently. Rather it will be a government project funded by Japan, he added. If Japan provides untied loan, the government will go for open tender.
The Jica study chalked out three routes. Japan showed interest in the first part dubbed Mass Rail Transit-6.
This part will be 22-kilometre long, said Dr SM Salehuddin, additional executive director of Dhaka Transport Coordination Board. The route stretches between Uttara Third Phase and Sayedabad via Pallabi, Chandrima Udyan, and Hotel Sonargaon crossing.
The remaining two parts involve circular routes from Gulshan-1, Mirpur, Azimpur, National Press Club, and Gulshan-2.
Dr Salehuddin noted that enterprises from China, Iran, India and Malaysia showed interest in the second and third parts of the project.
The Chinese and Iranians are particularly interested in the Gulshan to Mirpur route.
According to the study, financial negotiations between Japan and Bangladesh could be completed by June next year, after which a detailed engineering study will be carried out till December 2013.
By July 2013, the government will be able to begin construction of the first phase. An ongoing environmental impact assessment will be completed by January next year.
In the first stage of construction, the metro rail will be built between Pallabi and Hotel Sonargaon crossing between 2013 and 2015. In the second stage the route between Sonargaon crossing and Sayedabad, and in the third stage the Pallabi to Uttara route will be built.
The study noted that the construction cost of the elevated part will be around 12 million dollars per km, while the underground structure will cost 48 million dollars per km.
The communications ministry also decided to shelve an idea of building a mono rail. The minister said initially it was thought that a mono rail could be built along with the ongoing bid for the 21 km Dhaka Expressway. But a primary study found that to be technically impossible.
...i find them too cute....
So I'm interested to have a look at it. Thanks.
