Construction of the country's first metro-rail has got momentum following receipt of confirmation of the design for the elevated-way from Uttara third phase to Agargaon in the capital.
Official sources said work on the first permanent piling of the mass rapid transit line-6 (MRT-6) began on December 25 last after completion of geological survey, test piling and boring checking.
More than 50 piles have already been completed, they added.
"Finally, we have launched the project's main part of construction work on the metro-rail route in full swing," said an official.
He also said the contractor has started piling work at all pier locations of the structure from Uttara to Agargaon to make it visible.
As the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) awarded half of the 20.1-kilometer MRT-6 to Italian-Thai Development PLC on May 3 last, it confirmed the design from Uttara third phase to Agargaon after commencement of the project on August 2.
Sources said they expected completion of over 2,000 pilings in time. Besides, the construction of stations will start within a few months, they added.
Though the DMTCL is yet to award the construction work of the rest 10.1-km MRT-6 up to Motijheel, the project's first phase is scheduled to be completed in 1,127 days from the date of commencement, according to its website information.
Official launching of the construction work of MRT-6 started with land development work of its depot at Uttara in 2015. But it is not yet visible as construction of vertical structures has not started.
The DMTCL has so far awarded the work of six components of the project, out of eight.
According to the DMTCL, the piers of MRT-6 will be visible within a few months, and the entire infrastructure construction work is designed to end by June 2019.
However, with the launching of its main construction work on road, traffic gridlock along the metro-rail route has worsened as more than half of the space of both lanes of Mirpur Road and Rokeya Sarani is now occupied due to piling work.
Commuters coming from Pallabi and Mirpur alleged that they have to remain stuck in gridlock for couple of hours every day while crossing a few kilometre road in Mirpur-Agargaon areas.
They added that due to lack of enough traffic policemen, hundreds of vehicles remain stranded at crossings and turning points from Mirpur-12 to Agargaon.
The DMTCL Managing Director M A N Siddique told the FE that they have tried to keep as much as free space to help traffic movement.
He said the DMTCL has taken all measures to lessen people's sufferings by taking lesson learnt during the construction work of Mogbazar-Malibag-Mouchak Flyover when commuters and pedestrians suffered much.
The MD also said piling work of MRT-6 is carried out at all pier locations after midnight by increasing the number of workers for faster completion of the first phase of the work.
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