The second meeting of the special committee to fix metro-rail fares ended inconclusively on Wednesday as it found lack of adequate information necessary to determine the same.
Held after more than a year, the meeting however identified that information like per kilometer operational cost of the mass rapid transit line 6 (MRT 6), estimated earnings of the DMTCL, number of passengers to be travelling, etc. are required to determine the fares.
Sources said the seven-member committee found the difficulties while working on the 'affordability model' at the meeting.
A guideline is also considered necessary in fixing the fares for different categories of passengers like peak and off peak travellers as well as 'special passengers' which is a common practice in MRTs worldwide, they added.
After its formation in September 2020, the committee sat for the first time in January last year and asked the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) to provide rates based on various findings for discussion.
The DMTCL, the state-owned MRT builder and operator, finally sent two models to calculate the fares in December last, sources said.
"Actually the committee needs accommodating experts and conducting comprehensive study on the MRT fares," said a meeting source.
He, however, viewed that the fare assessment in India, Indonesia and Malaysia would not be helpful to assess the rates here.
When asked, DTCA acting executive director Neelima Akter said they were working in a proper manner and would be able to propose different rates, which would later be finalised by the government.
She also said the committee considered affordability of the passengers first and then discussed the fares of different modes of transports, including air-conditioned buses.
The DMTCL, which is responsible for constructing six MRT lines, has planned to open a part (Uttara to Agargaon) of the first 21-kilometre MRT line-6 in December next.
smunima@yahoo.com