Japan agrees to conduct survey on two metro rail projects

Munima Sultana | Published: March 14, 2016 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

Japan has agreed to conduct a survey on the two proposed metro rail projects in the city's east-west and north-east directions.
However, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) has also come forward with a technical proposal to conduct the feasibility study on one of the routes.
Officials said Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) signed a minute of discussion with the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges (MoRTB) and Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) on Thursday.
According to the MoD, a JICA team will carry out the survey on mass rapid transit (MRT) lines 1 and 5 to determine the necessity of the two MRTs more specifically after Revised Strategic Transport Plan (RSTP) recommended five MRTs for growing number of commuters in Dhaka city.
The ADB is now working to conduct the study through Dhaka Mass Transit Company (DMTC), the implementing agency of the MRTs, and it has approved a project's preparatory technical assistance (PPTA) in this regard.
During their visit earlier, the ADB mission showed interest to invest US$ 2.0 billion in MRT-5.
According to the ADB website, the Dhaka Metro project's preparatory technical assistance (PPTA) will assess the findings of the Revised Strategic Transport Plan (RSTP) for Dhaka and recommend and prepare a priority metro project for investment by the ADB.
It will prepare pre-feasibility studies including cost-benefit analysis to decide on the priority interventions in consultation with the government and define the scope for detailed design to be prepared under the proposed TA loan, scheduled for approval in 2017.
Sources said both the studies will be conducted in two phases targeting to complete them at the end of 2017.
DTCA sources said the ADB has so far communicated with the DMRTC over their interest, although they are the authority for policy and planning level of all MRTs.
"It is certainly waste of money if double studies are done in the same projects," according to a source.
DMTC sources said as Japan has been providing support to the MRT-6 as well as shown interest to fund MRT-1, they are trying to find the possibility of co-financing by both development partners in the MRT-5.
After completing the study, negotiations on funding will start and then it would be decided, they added.
Another source said such problem has arisen due to lack of coordination among the government agencies.
The sources also said the ADB does not feel encouraged to work with the DTCA due to lack of their capacity and manpower. As DMTC has already prepared technical proposals for other proposed MRT projects, the ADB contacted them, they added.
The JICA is now supporting MRT-6, the first metro rail project in the city's north south corridor, by committing to providing 60 per cent of the project cost of $ 2.7 billion.
The officials said the JICA mission also set some preconditions including confirmation of the alignments of the two lines and reviewed the progress of the ongoing MRT-6 as almost all the tenders of eight packages were called.
Earlier, RTB Minister Obaidul Quader requested the JICA to conduct the feasibility study on the MRT lines during his visit to Japan last year.
During the study period of the RSTP, the Japanese government, however, conducted an initial study on one MRT.
The officials said the JICA mission's visit was in line with the Japanese ministry's study.
Tatsuya Nikai, country officer, South Asia Department/Division-4, led the JICA mission during the visit from March 8.
smunima@yahoo.com