PM orders return of metro rail project to DTCB

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Munima Sultana
In a fresh order issued on January 4 the Prime Minister transferred the US dollar 2.75 billion metro rail project immediately to its original ministry of communications from railway ministry.
The metro rail project, known as Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line-6, was returned to the Dhaka Transport
Coordination Board (DTCB) of the communications ministry.
Earlier on December 15, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina signed the summary paper of metro rail project giving direction to hand over the MRT Line-6 project to the newly formed railway ministry.
The railway ministry was given all responsibilities including development, improvement and maintenance of Bangladesh Railway and other rail related transports like MRT and metro etc.
The communications ministry officials said the fresh direction by the PM on the city's important traffic project came considering the need for unhindered and timely implementation of MRT as the change of the ministry would render implementation of the project uncertain in getting Japanese soft loan agreement for 80 per cent of the project cost by March, 2012.
The fresh order however directed handing over of the project to the railway ministry from DTCB after completion of the work.
Appreciating the new order, transport expert Professor Shamsul Haque said the decision would reduce the time period for the implementation of the much needed mass transport project.
"It will reduce time of implementation. If the MRT was kept under the railway ministry, it would have been necessary to create a new set up for the urban transport project," he told the FE.
Mr. Haque professor of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, however, said after the implementation of the MRT project, it would automatically be under the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority for maintaining its operation.
Work on the project, first of its kind in the city, has been carried out through DTCB with the technical assistance and guidance of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), the project's potential financier.