The metro rail authorities are likely to miss the 2030 deadline for completing two of the six planned metro lines in Dhaka as they have not yet started carrying out feasibility studies for the two lines.

With the consultants already hired, the authorities are set to start conducting the feasibility study for Mass Rapid Transit Line-4. But the progress of the MRT Line-2 project is disappointing as the financier for the feasibility study has not yet been found, let alone hiring a consultant for the work, officials concerned said.

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Over 70% public projects not completed on time

Once the feasibility studies are done and financiers are found, the authorities will have to go through a long process -- preparing a project proposal, having it approved, acquiring land, preparing a detailed design, and floating tenders to hire contractors, they said.

All these preparatory works usually take three to four years, which is why the authorities may not be able to meet the deadline for these projects, officials feared.

However, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd (DMTCL), the implementing agency of the metro rail projects, remains hopeful the deadline will be met.

The route for MRT Line-2 will be from Gabtoli to Narayanganj via Gulistan while the route for MRT Line-4 will be Dhaka to Narayanganj's Madanpur via Signboard.

Speaking at a seminar on Dhaka Metro Rail on May 19, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader and DMTCL Managing Director MAN Siddique said six metro rail lines will be completed by 2030.

Asked whether they will be able to complete MRT Lines-2 and 4 within the stipulated time, Siddique on Tuesday said, "Let us start the work first, and then we will figure out if we can meet the deadline."

In July 2013, the government formed state-run company DMTCL to build and operate metro rail. The company adopted a time-bound action plan to build a 140-km metro rail network, comprising six lines, in and around Dhaka by 2030 to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution.

The MRT Line-6 is now operational on Uttara-Motijheel route and its extended part from Motijheel to Kamalapur is expected to be opened by June next year. The project's revised cost is Tk 33,472 crore.

DMTCL took more than six years, from September 2016 to December 2022, to make the country's first metro rail line, MRT Line-6, partially operative.

The physical work on MRT Line-1 and Line-5 (northern route) began in March and July last year respectively, more than three years after the projects were approved in October 2019.

The project authorities of MRT Line-1, the country's first underground metro rail line, have so far been able to hire contractors for only one out of 12 packages. The project deadline is set for December 2026.

Under the Tk 52,561 crore project, the authority will build 19.87km underground line from Dhaka airport to Kamalapur and 11.37km elevated line from Dhaka's Natunbazar to Narayangan's Pitalganj.

Similarly, the project authority of MRT Line-5 (northern route) have so far hired contractors for only one out of 10 packages. The 20km line stretching from Hemayetpur to Bhatara will have underground and elevated sections. The deadline for the Tk 41,239 crore project is December 2028.

The authorities of MRT Lines-1 and 5 are now developing land for setting up depots.

The feasibility study for the MRT Line-5 (southern route) has been completed and the Development Project Proposal (DPP) is now pending approval by the Planning Commission.

As per the DPP, Tk 54,618.96 crore will be needed to build the 17.20km line from Gabtoli to Aftabnagar (Dasherkandi). The project's proposed deadline is 2030.

MRT LINES-2, 4

While carrying out pre-feasibility studies, the metro rail authorities changed the preliminary routes of MRT Lines-2 and 4.

As per the preliminary plan, MRT Line-4 is supposed to be built from Kamalapur to Narayanganj underground.

But the metro rail authorities later changed the plan as Bangladesh Railway is expanding the existing lines from Dhaka to Narayanganj.

Its new 16km route will stretch from Dhaka to Narayanganj's Madanpur via Signboard. The government in May last year signed a memorandum of understanding with South Korea for financing the project.

DMTCL MD Siddique said they hired a consultant this month under Korean financing to carry out the feasibility study for MRT Line-4.

Replying to a question, he said the study would not take much time because the line is not that long and the pre-feasibility study has already been done.

Another DMTCL official said a joint venture (JV), led by a Korean company, has been hired for the job and its officials will visit Bangladesh late this month.

"We will be able to say when the study will begin after meeting with them [JV officials]," he said wishing anonymity.

As regards MRT Line-2, if the project is implemented with its revised route, the 35km line would be the longest metro rail of the country.

The project was supposed to be implemented under a government-to-government initiative with Japan, following the public-private partnership (PPP) model.

But the metro authorities later decided to implement the scheme under a government initiative because they found the conditions set by Japan "unacceptable".

The MRT Line-2 was supposed to be built on the 24km route stretching from Gabtoli to Chattogram Road via Mohammadpur, Nilkhet, Azimpur, Central Shaheed Minar, Gulistan, Motijheel, Kamalapur, Mugda, and Demra.

But as per the revised route, the line will be extended up to Narayanganj. Also, it will have a branch line from Gulistan to Sadarghat.

The DMTCL in September 2022 sent a preliminary development project proposal (PDPP) to the Planning Commission for the project's feasibility study.

The commission in August last year approved the PDPP in principle and sent it to the Economic Relations Division to look for a financier, shows a project document.

But there has been little progress in this regard, Siddique said.