Conflicts over height of MRT-1 still remain unresolved

Conflicts between the two government agencies over maintaining the elevated height of separate infrastructures in Purbachal area have not yet been resolved, sources said.
Though the prime minister has given green signal to keep the height of elevated part of mass rapid transit line-1 (MRT-1) at 13 metres, sources said, problems in designing infrastructures planned as intersection solution on 300-feet Purbachal Road could not be resolved by maintaining the height of MRT-1.
"In fact, the present height of MRT-1 might not be immediate problem for Purbachal Road. Severe problems may arise in next 10 years as several inter-section solutions would be needed on the corridor as traffic remedy for expansion of the city on eastern fringe," said a source preferring not to be named.
He also said elevated bypass, U-turn like solutions would be necessary at some points as other government agencies are also planning to develop prime roads in the north-south direction in between the 300-feet Purbachal Road, which is east-west connected.
Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd (DMTCL) is implementing the MRT-1 project under which an elevated track has been planned to go towards Purbachal from Kuril.
Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkhya (Rajuk) has been working on junction development at two points of Purbachal Satellite Town, a new township planned over 6,000 acres of land.
But Rajuk has been pressurizing the DMTCL to raise the height of MRT-1 from 13 metres to 15 metres on the grounds of international practice as the height of MRT-1 would make it difficult to implement planned intersection infrastructures.
The DMTCL argued that the design of all MRTs has been developed following the government's approved technical standards where 13 metres were stated. The vertical height of under-construction MRT-6 has been designed following the standards.
Rajuk sources said since the coronavirus pandemic hit, work of both the projects has been slowed down leaving the problem unresolved.
But DMTCL sources said due to Covid-19 situation, design work is now being carried out online as the Japanese consultants have yet to come to the country.
Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) which is supposed to coordinate transport-related projects and resolve conflicts did not try to bring the DMTCL and Rajuk on the negotiating table due to the Prime Minister's decision.
But a DTCA source also said the elevated height of MRT-1 might also block the scope of bus-dependent another mass transit project named BRT-7 in future. DTCA is now conducting the feasibility study on the BRT-7.
The city has several examples of damaging the scope of one infrastructure due to construction of another infrastructure without coordination.
Moghbazar flyover including its extension plan from FDC rail crossing has blocked the scope of BRT-3 and intersection solution at Sonargaon crossing.
The extension was designed as per the prime minister's directives given at the last stage of the flyover.
Rajuk sources said they may raise the issue with the prime minister again to make its impact clear to her.
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