The government will sit with the Asian Development Bank (ADB) early next month to negotiate funding for the metro-rail (MRT)-5 in southern part of Dhaka city, officials said on Monday.
The Manila-based lender is likely to provide some US$33.2 million to the state-run Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) for the preparatory work of the southern part.
The southern route will stretch from Gabtoli to Aftabnagar via Dhanmondi and Panthapath.
"We intend to sit with the ADB team in the second week of September," an Economic Relations Division (ERD) official told the FE. "We are expecting to get $33.2 million loans from the lender," the official said.
"The loan will be used for project readiness work, including preparation for the design, bid documents and appointment of the supervision consultant for constructing the MRT line," the official said.
The transit company has already taken up the MRT-5 North project, to be built from Hemayetpur to Vatara through Gabtoli, Mirpur 10, Kachukhet, Banani, Gulshan and Natun Bazar.
The cost for the 20-kilometre MRT-5 North project has been estimated at Tk 412.61 billion where Japan International Cooperation agency (JICA) will provide the lion's share.
The Japanese donor will lend Tk 307.56 billion for the MRT line-5 and Bangladesh the remaining Tk 105.05 billion.
The state company has also sought approval for the 31-kilometre MRT-1 project from airport to Kamalapur, which will require Tk 519 billion.
Currently, the government is building its first elevated 20-km MRT line-6 from Uttara to Motijheel, which is expected to be inaugurated by 2021.
The MRT-1 main part (16.215km)-Hazrat Shahjalal Airport Terminal 3-Khilkhet-Jamuna Future Park-Natunbazar-Uttar Badda-Badda-Hatirjheel-Rampura-Malibagh-Rajarbagh-Kamalapur-will be built underground.
The remaining part (11.369km) from Natunbazar to Purbachal will be built as an elevated line.
The ERD official said the ADB had already assured them of financing the construction work of the MRT-5 South line from Gabtoli through Aftabnagar.
The ADB has also conducted a feasibility study to confirm the route. "We hope to sign the proposed $33.2 million loans agreement within two to three months after completing the negotiations," the ERD official said.
When the project's detailed design, bid documents and other related work are completed under the project, the ERD will go for final negotiations on funds for the main line construction work, he said.
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