The much awaited first ever elevated metro rail is ready for commercial operation as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is set to inaugurate the metro rail on Dec 28.
Currently, the authorities of the metro rail are busy for giving finishing touch to stations, stairs, escalators, vending machines, ticketing system, fresh rooms, platforms, elevators, CCTV cameras, waiting rooms and others for providing facilities as per the international standard, local media reported.
Trial run is going on from Uttara to Agargaon. Common people believe that along with the reduction of traffic congestion in the capital, revenue collection will increase through the launch of metro rail after Padma Bridge.
According to the project details, initially some 10-set of train having six coaches will run from Uttara to Agargaon. If one of the 10-set of train goes out of service, the remaining two will run as support. For the time being, the train will run on this route slowly.
However, if the train starts at full speed, one train will run every three and a half minutes. How long the train will stay at a station has not been decided yet.
After assuming power in 2009, the Bangladesh Awami League government took various initiatives to reduce the pressure on the capital. Initiatives were taken to build metro rail across the capital to ease traffic congestion, according to the project details.
It said that according to the government announcement, one of the three parts of the metro rail is going to be inaugurated this month of victory (December). Now it is only a matter of time to wait for the train to run from Diabari, Uttara to Agargaon.
The metro rail will be able to carry 60 thousand passengers per hour and half a million passengers per day and one train will arrive at each station every four minutes.
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has been constructing the metro rail and providing soft loan to the project.
