Govt clears three Metro Rail projects worth nearly 2.5 lakh crore taka

The government on Wednesday approved three metro rail projects involving a combined estimated cost of nearly 2.50 lakh crore taka, including a new MRT Line-5 Southern Route and revised costs for the Japan-funded MRT Line-1 and MRT Line-5 Northern Route.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the projects at a meeting at the Secretariat, chaired by Prime Minister and ECNEC Chairperson Tarique Rahman.

The new 17.20-kilometre MRT Line-5 Southern Route, connecting Gabtoli with Dasherkandi, was approved at an estimated cost of 45,503.76 crore taka.

The government will provide 15,197.66 crore taka, while 30,306.10 crore taka will come as project loans from the Asian Development Bank and South Korea’s Economic Development Cooperation Fund.

The route will include 13.10 kilometres of underground tracks and is scheduled to be implemented from September 2026 to August 2033.

It will pass through Technical intersection, Kalyanpur, Shyamoli, College Gate, Asad Gate, Sukrabad, Karwan Bazar, Hatirjheel, Tejgaon, Aftabnagar, Nasirabad and Dasherkandi.

MRT Line-1 cost more than doubles

The ECNEC also approved a revised cost of 1,14,394.89 crore taka for the 31.24-kilometre MRT Line-1 connecting Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport with Kamalapur, up from the original 52,561.43 crore taka approved in 2019.

The revised cost is 61,833.46 crore taka, or 117.64%, higher than the original estimate.

Under the revised proposal, the government’s contribution will rise to 30,552.26 crore taka, while the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) loan will increase to 83,842.63 crore taka.

The proposal cited delays in design and tender preparation during the Covid-19 pandemic and complexities involved in implementing the country’s first underground metro rail project as reasons for the higher cost.

Changes made during detailed design included larger stations, relocation of station entrances, exits and ventilation shafts, a three-storey Rajarbagh station and around 20 kilometres of detour roads for traffic management during construction.

MRT Line-5 Northern Route

The cost of the 20-kilometre MRT Line-5 Northern Route from Hemayetpur to Bhatara has been revised to 89,848.36 crore taka from 41,238.54 crore taka, an increase of 48,609.82 crore taka, or 117.88%.

The government’s contribution will rise by 84.22% to 22,330 crore taka, while the JICA loan will increase by 131.89% to 67,518 crore taka.

The Hemayetpur-Amin Bazar section will be elevated, while the Amin Bazar-Bhatara section will run underground through densely populated areas.

The project was originally scheduled for completion by 2028. The revised proposal extends the completion target to 2032.

The combined original cost of MRT Line-1 and MRT Line-5 Northern Route was 93,799.97 crore taka. Their combined revised cost now stands at 2,04,243.25 crore taka, an increase of 1,10,443.28 crore taka, or 117.74%.

The revised combined figure is 9,741.84 crore taka lower than the 2,13,985.09 crore taka proposed earlier by Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited following a reassessment of construction, land development, buildings, electrical and mechanical systems, utility relocation and equipment costs.

The ECNEC meeting also approved several other development projects from ministries including Roads and Highways, Defence, Rural Development and Cooperatives, Railways, Labour and Employment, and Power, Energy and Mineral Resources.