Vexed Dhaka commuters may now hope to get a 238-kilometre subway as a foreign-sponsored study finds the project viable and a design is already done.
The latest developments on the transport front were rolled out at a stakeholder seminar Tuesday in the city, where Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader directed the two mayors of Dhaka to go all out to brush up Dhaka's image as 'most unlivable' and 'most air-polluted' city.
Spanish firm TYPSA Consulting Engineers and Architects, which conducted the feasibility study and preliminary design, recommended the development of 238- kilometre subway network some 25 to 70 metres beneath the ground. It will be constructed in tunnel-boring-machine method.
Project Director and Chief Engineer Quazi Ferdous said four routes under the network would be developed by 2030, another four by 2040 and the rest five by 2050 for which US$ 41.30 billion, $ 34.47 billion and $ 27.02 billion would be needed respectively.
He said the project's internal rate of return is 11.53 per cent and net present value is positive--and the study indicates it financially feasible.
Consultant Alfonso Santiago told the meet that the subway network is feasible from socioeconomic point of view and project-cost ratio reaches 1.67, indicating the robustness of the economic value creation from the projection of economic discounted flows.
Consultant Martin Thomas thinks the subway will save travel time, reduce stress and improve quality of life, accessibility to work, study and leisure as well as air quality by reducing accidents, traffic congestion, transport costs
"Our recommendation is go ahead with the subway programme to improve the life of the citizens of Dhaka," said consultant Aitor Ezquerra, adding that average trip speed will increase from 9.0 kms per hour to 15 km/h.
According to the draft study, route B from Gabtoli-BCSAHS, route O from Tongi to Jhilmil, route S from Keraniganj-Kanchpur and route T from Narayanganj-Uttara sector 16 will be constructed by 2030.
Route-D from Bhawal (Keraniganj) to East Nandipara, route-G from Gabtoli to Bashundhara riverview, route J from Hazarinagh to Purbachal central and route P from Shah Kabir Mazar road to Sadarghat will be constructed by 2040.
Another 10 years will be taken to develop route B, extended from BCSAHS to Purbachal Malum City, route T from Uttara 16 to Jahangirnagar University, route U from Teghoria Bazar to Bandar, route V from Tongi Junction to Konabari and Route W from Gabtoli to Ambagan.
Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Atiqul Islam and Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh attended the meet as special guests.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader, who was the chief guest, slammed the two city mayors for what he said failing to develop the city in line with the economic development of the country, asking them to work in changing the bad image of Dhaka city as 'most unlivable' and 'polluted city'.
"We have all but feel shame with Dhaka city," he told the seminar, organised to share the draft final report on the feasibility study and preliminary design of Dhaka Subway that proposes to develop 238-kilometre subway network in three phases by 2050.
The minister says there is no alternative to constructing subway. "When Padma bridge construction has been possible, subway will also be possible," he adds.
Earlier in their speeches, the two mayors, however, demanded city corporation engagement in the development projects, including the subway, for proper integration, saying that absence of integration hit the city most.
The DNCC Mayor in this connection referred to the metro-rail project and said stairs of stations on the footpath cannot be acceptable by the city corporation. He demanded revision of the station design at Shawrapara, Kawranbazar, Mirpur 10 etc for proper integration with the footpaths.
The DSCC Mayor demanded the formation of a technical committee with city corporations to evaluate all subway-feasibility studies to ensure right integration with the city master plan.
He also claims share of gross revenue earned from all development projects taken by different government agencies.
Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) organised the seminar also to share with the stakeholders to make it final by June next.
Chaired by Bridge Division Secretary Mohammad Monjur Hossain, the seminar was also attended, among others, by the Spanish Ambassador in Bangladesh, chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee Rowshan Ara Mannan, Managing Director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited MAN Siddique and BBA Chief Engineer Quazi Muhammad Ferdous and representatives of different ministries, agencies and universities.
After the presentation was over, the minister said subway would be made possible like the Padma Bridge as the prime minister can only transform her vision into reality.
"When the World Bank had brought an allegation of corruption over the Padma Bridge project, she proved it wrong. So she can take the courage to construct the subway," says Mr Quader, also general secretary of the ruling Awami League.
Referring to bad reputation of the capital, Dhaka, as most unlivable city and most air-polluted city, the minister and AL general secretary directed the mayors to change the depressive look of the metropolis where buses run with dent and shabby look must be changed.
BBA took the project on the feasibility study upon the prime minister's instructions and it commenced on September 01, 2018.
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