Like other mega projects, the metro rail projects have also suffered slow implementation progress in the outgoing year due to coronavirus pandemic, making uncertain the launch of the first MRT line by December 2021.
Sources said that almost all the foreign consultants, contractors and technical professionals of mass rapid transit lines (MRT) had left the country soon after announcing the national holidays on March 26 last.
It took nearly seven months to start the process of their return, they said.
Besides, officials said, the pandemic also delayed the shipment of train sets manufactured in Japan for MRT Line 6 (MRT 6) by nearly a year while the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd (DMTCL) even could not start the process yet.
Managing Director of DMTCL MAN Siddique in a recent press briefing said the shipment of first train sets would start after checking by a special team in Japan.
As the flights between Bangladesh and Japan are yet to resume and the visa office remains closed, he said the DMTCL is trying to send the team under a special arrangement by the second week of January next.
However, arrival of the first five train sets out of the total 24 by next June is uncertain, he added.
Sources said a successful trial run of the first five sets, each having six bogies, at the depot site and the elevated track is necessary to facilitate the manufacturing company to go for production of the other sets of trains.
The MD said that at least 20 sets are necessary to start operation of the MRT 6 as planned for December 16 next year, marking the occasion of the country's 50th anniversary.
However, sources said, the DMTCL would not be able to bring the first five sets of trains in next six months. After the successful trial run of the first sets, other sets will be imported in two phases to ensure successful running of the total five sets.
The first set of train was supposed to arrive in the country in June last as the manufacturing company completed it in Japan in early April last.
Like Padma Multipurpose Bridge project, the DMTCL has also opened two coronavirus units at Gabtoli and Agargaon to manage the Covid infections among the workers, if any.
But, sources said, due to the nature of open construction sites, the state-owned metro rail company is still facing problems to check spread of the virus.
Though the foreign consultants, mainly the Japanese ones, started returning to join the MRT 6 project in early September, the Japanese design consultants for MRT 1 and 5 North have been working at home in Japan.
The MRT 1 is now at detail design stage while the MRT 5 North has completed the pre-feasibility study. The DMTCL is yet to complete appointing the consultant for MRT 5 South due to delay in the process of funding by the Asian Development Bank.
The three other MRTs - MRT 6 and 1 and 5 North - are being implemented with the technical and financial assistance of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
However, the MD of the DMTCL said that during the pandemic period, full-fledged study for another metro rail planned under the public-private partnership model began on September 15 last.
According to the monthly progress record in November, 75.5 per cent of the depot site development work of MRT 6 was completed while 75 per cent of the construction works of piers for elevated tracks from Uttara to Agargaon was completed.
The piers' construction work from Agargaon to Farmgate was completed 52 per cent and Kawranbazar to Dhaka University 53 per cent. Progress in train sets manufacturing is 33 per cent.
"The overall progress which we have so far made and if there is no such unwanted situation, on an average 750 metres to one kilometre viaduct erection of the 20.1-km MRT 6 line is now possible to complete every week," the MD added.
He also said that they were trying to complete in time the erection of the viaducts simultaneously from three points as well as continue construction of 16 stations.
Concourse levels of many stations have been completed - some with platforms.
The MD also said the DMTCL has been trying to cover the loss of time by working simultaneously.
Though the viaduct from Uttara to Agargaon is visible now, it has many works to do. Besides, the DMTCL has to operate trial runs of trains for at least six months before finally launching the services.
smunima@yahoo.com