Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the construction works of the country's first-ever underground metro rail (MRT Line-1) on Thursday (February 2), reports BSS.

Managing Director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) M A N Siddique said the Prime Minister is scheduled to inaugurate the construction works of the MRT) Line-1 at 11 am.

The DMTCL will implement the mega project, he added. 

As part of the MRT Line-1 plan, the first rail depot will be constructed in the Pitalganj area in Narayanganj and all preparations have been completed for the inauguration of construction works.

It said that part one of MRT Line-1 is: Airport Route (Airport to Kamalapur) having a 19.872 km long underground with 12 stations. Part two is the Purbachal Route (Natun Bazar to Pitalganj Depot, Rupganj) having 11.369 km elevated with nine stations, of which seven stations will be overhead, while Natun Bazar and Nadda stations will be underground as part of the airport route.

M A N Siddique said the Natun Bazar station will have an inter-change facility with MRT Line-5 (Northern Route) from where passengers will have scope for going to the Airport route from Purbachal or Purnachal route to the Airport using the interchange. 

The project details said the MRT Line-1 will take 24 minutes to travel from Dhaka airport to Kamalapur, with breaks at 12 underground stations and 20 minutes to travel from Notun Bazar to Purbachal with breaks at seven stations.

Bd-pratidin English/Golam Rosul