Govt keen to start metro rail project before feasibility study
Wednesday, 13 January 2010
Munima Sultana
The government will sit with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) along with Economic Relations Division (ERD) next week to finalise its decision on starting metro rail project in the city's three corridors before a feasibility study.
Communications ministry officials said the tripartite meeting is going to be organised among the ministry, JICA and ERD to start procedure of tender before the feasibility study as the Japanese development partner wants the government to finish the study first to ascertain the viability of the metro routes.
They said the government started working on inviting tender for metro rail in the three corridors according to the proposal of the strategic transport plan (STP) which was done after a pre-feasibility study.
"The government is now trying to resolve the issue through a tripartite meeting," said a senior ministry official adding that due to the objection, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) asked the ministry to resolve it with JICA through ERD.
The communications ministry had placed the metro rail infrastructure development project as mass rapid transit (MRT) before CCEA in October to get approval for tender invitation through Build Operate Transfer (BOT).
But the government's high economic body asked the ministry to get an opinion from the ERD following JICA's objection.
Meanwhile the officials said the ministry decided to hold the tripartite meeting after the ERD reminded the government of JICA's contribution to the country's different infrastructure development and indicated to take decision cautiously.
The JICA's objection came as it has been carrying out a feasibility study under the Dhaka Transport Coordination Board (DTCB) since April.
Although the first phase of the study titled Dhaka Urban Transport Study (DHUTS) is likely to be completed in March next, JICA has already disclosed that a portion of the study shows that one STP route is feasible.
Another official, preferring anonymity, said the government is still adamant to start metro rail project before the feasibility study and will sit with the JICA and the ERD to remove difficulties in the way.
The government will sit with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) along with Economic Relations Division (ERD) next week to finalise its decision on starting metro rail project in the city's three corridors before a feasibility study.
Communications ministry officials said the tripartite meeting is going to be organised among the ministry, JICA and ERD to start procedure of tender before the feasibility study as the Japanese development partner wants the government to finish the study first to ascertain the viability of the metro routes.
They said the government started working on inviting tender for metro rail in the three corridors according to the proposal of the strategic transport plan (STP) which was done after a pre-feasibility study.
"The government is now trying to resolve the issue through a tripartite meeting," said a senior ministry official adding that due to the objection, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) asked the ministry to resolve it with JICA through ERD.
The communications ministry had placed the metro rail infrastructure development project as mass rapid transit (MRT) before CCEA in October to get approval for tender invitation through Build Operate Transfer (BOT).
But the government's high economic body asked the ministry to get an opinion from the ERD following JICA's objection.
Meanwhile the officials said the ministry decided to hold the tripartite meeting after the ERD reminded the government of JICA's contribution to the country's different infrastructure development and indicated to take decision cautiously.
The JICA's objection came as it has been carrying out a feasibility study under the Dhaka Transport Coordination Board (DTCB) since April.
Although the first phase of the study titled Dhaka Urban Transport Study (DHUTS) is likely to be completed in March next, JICA has already disclosed that a portion of the study shows that one STP route is feasible.
Another official, preferring anonymity, said the government is still adamant to start metro rail project before the feasibility study and will sit with the JICA and the ERD to remove difficulties in the way.