Daily ridership averages just above 100,000

MUNIMA SULTANA | Published: November 09, 2023 23:13:49

Daily passengers have averaged over 100,000 on the entire Uttara-Motijheel metro-rail corridor since the opening of the Agargaon-Motijheel part on Sunday.
According to official data of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd (DMTCL), ridership on the MRT 6 was 93,104 on the first day of launching the operation on the 20.1-kilometre part from Agargaon to Motijheel.
The number of passengers increased to 105,090 on Monday and 119,148 on Tuesday but it dropped again to 104,625 on Wednesday.
In a press conference prior to launching the partial operation of Agargaon to Motijheel part, DMTCL Managing Director MAN Siddique told journalists that they get 90,000 passengers on average from the part of Uttara North to Agargaon.
DMTCL has been operating the 11.7km stretch from December 29 last year since the Prime Minister formally opened the first part of the MRT 6 corridor.
The premier inaugurated the second part on Saturday launching entire 20.1 km corridor for four hours from 7:30 am on the following day. After closure of the Uttara-Motijheel service at 11:30 am, the DMTCL continues operation of the Agargaon-Uttara part till 8:30pm.
However, officials said they have found passengers' pressure in the first hours every day.
Almost all trains after the operation starts at 7:30 am run jam-packed from Uttara. But the train that starts from Motijheel gets comparatively less passengers, they added.
Finding the high demand at the first hour, the DMTCL has already allowed the passengers to ride on its two trains while heading towards to Motijheel from Uttara depot to start the day's operation from Motijheel side.
smunima@yahoo.com