Dhaka metro rail company is likely to start a feasibility study on a planned second-phase extension of the MRT-6 from Uttara to Tongi soon.
However, the extension work of the mass rapid transit line-6 (MRT-6) is expected to start after completion of the first-phase extension project from Motijheel to Kamalapur station.
As the work on the first-phase extension was going on smoothly, the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd (DMTCL) is expecting to make some progress on the second-phase extension.
Out of the total 176 piles designed for the first extension, 38 are already completed with its work starting in February last.
"We planned to start the second phase after completion of the first extension and we may proceed with some work on the second extension," DMTCL Managing Director MAN Siddique told a monthly briefing at his office in the capital on Thursday.
The company will have to obtain financing clearance before starting the feasibility study, he added. According to a preliminary estimate, the length of the Uttara-Tongi section would be 4.61 km.
The Uttara-Motijheel MRT-6 is now operating partly from Uttara to Agargaon and the entire 20.1 km route is expected to come online by December next.
During the briefing, the MD also disclosed that the new schedule of MRT-6 from 8 am to 8pm would start from May 31. The schedule would be divided into peak and off-peak hours.
According to the new schedule, the MRT-6 will operate from 8.0am to 11am and 3:01pm to 6:0pm with 10-minute intervals or headways considering the peak hours.
During the off-peak hours, the trains will run from 11:01am to 3:0pm and 6:01pm to 8:0pm with 15-minute headways.
The weekly day off will be on Friday instead of Tuesday when the maintenance work is done.
Though the MRT-6 was operated in the second half of the Eid-ul-Fitr day, the service will remain totally off on the day of Eid-ul-Azha.
Mr Siddique said all kinds of tests on the second half of the rail track from Agargaon to Motijheel will start in July and based on the tests for the next two months, a decision on early commissioning of this phase would be taken. However, the entire MRT-6 route will open in December next.
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