The first 5 sets of Metrorail trains will arrive on April 23

News Desk: The country's first metro rail 5 set train from Uttara to Kamalapur under the capital will reach Dhaka on April 23 this year (2021). Japan is building a total of 24 sets of trains for this project. Each set of train will have two engines on each side and four coaches in the middle.

MAN Siddique, managing director of Dhaka Month Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), confirmed the information to media on Thursday (February 4th). He said the probable date of departure of the train from Japan's Obe port to Bangladesh is February 20. The train may arrive at the Metrorail depot in Uttara from Mongla port in Bangladesh on April 23. He added that before bringing the Metrorail sets to the country, an expert team of DMTCL was supposed to go to Japan to test them. But DMTCL has inspected the trains through a third party as an alternative as there is a travel ban in the country due to the coronavirus situation.

According to DMTCL sources, the trains were inspected by an organization called Japan International Company. DMTCL officials monitored the inspection activities via video conference from Dhaka. DMTCL managing director MAN Siddique said the rest of the trains will be phased out in the country. The second set of trains is scheduled to leave Japan on April 15. It may reach Dhaka on 16 June. The third train will leave on June 13 and reach on August 13. The trial run will be started soon after the necessary tests of the trains. MAN Siddique said at least three stations need to be ready to start the trial run of the Metrorail train.

There are already five stations ready. Adequate infrastructure has also been set up in the depot area for keeping and maintaining the trains. If all goes well, he hopes to start the journey of Metrorail on December 16. Metrorail trains are being built by the Japanese company Kawasaki-Mitsubishi. In all, the price of 24 sets of trains is Tk 3,208.42 crore. After bringing these trains to Bangladesh with customs and VAT, the total cost will be Tk 4,256.34 crore. The trains will have DC 1500 voltage power supply system. Stainless steel body trains will have vertical seats. Each train will have two wheelchairs. Each air-conditioned bogie will have four doors on each side. Each ten-passenger train with Japanese standard security will have a passenger capacity of 1,636.

There will be smart card ticketing system for paying the fare. Work on the Metrorail project began in June 2016. So far, the overall progress of the project is 56 percent. The total cost of the project is Tk 21,975 crore. Of this, Tk 16,595 crore is being provided by Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) and Tk 5,390 crore by the Government of Bangladesh.