Dhaka Metro Rail

Metro Rail is one of the most popular forms of public transport in many major cities around the world. The first rapid transit system was introduced in London in 1863, which is now a part of the ‘London Underground’. Dhaka Metro Rail, informally known as the Dhaka Metro, is an approved mass rapid transit system under construction in Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh. The first Metro Rail known as Mass Rapid Transit or MRT-6 starts from Uttara to Motijheel. The project was approved under the fast-tracking method in the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council or ECNEC on 18 December 2012 and it was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on 26 June 2016. The project will add to a total five lines and six routes. I.e. MRT Lines 1, 2, 4, 5, and 6. The total length of the Metro Rail will be 128.741 km where the underground track is 61.172 km and the elevated track is 67.569 km. The number of Metro Rail stations will be 104 including 53 underground stations and 51 elevated stations. The project is being carried out by the state-owned Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL). After opening the route of Metro Rail for its operation, people can live outside of the main city and travel easily to their workplaces. Metro Rail will save 200 billion takas or $2.4 billion a year, which is equivalent to 17% of the tax revenue of Bangladesh or 1.5% of GDP. Due to the traffic congestion, the country faces a huge economic loss and Dhaka is on the top in terms of losses. It will also build a safe and sustainable transport infrastructure in and around Dhaka and ensure travel safety for commuters. The projected expenditure of MRT-6 is 21,985.07 crore and it is supposed to be finished by December 2023.