Japan to send new fact-finders to review metro-rail progress

Munima Sultana A new Japanese fact-finding mission arrives in Dhaka tomorrow (Monday) to make "detail" review of the Metro Rail project, which has become uncertain due to last-minute design changes and indecisiveness by the government. State-owned Japan International Cooperation Agency sends the mission, its fourth in 11 months, to study whether the government's latest interference in the $2.75 billion project satisfies strict Japanese lending conditions. The mission, which has been named as `detailed fact finding mission', lands for a 10-day visit when it will meet the new communications minister and senior government officials, bureaucrats told the FE. Although officials see the mission a "positive sign" in their effort to get soft loan to the tune of 80 per cent of the project cost, experts are not so optimistic, saying the recent design changes and government dithering could still jeopardize Japanese assistance. They said the government could not satisfy the JICA on the issues of endorsing the amended route through Khamarbari taking part of the Parliament complex, site selection for depot in Uttara and paucity of human resources at the special project office (SPO). They said the government also failed to pass the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority Act and create Dhaka Mass Transport Corporation, which is to operate and manage the metro rail, also known as Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) 6. "JICA has repeatedly asked the government to settle these issues as pre-conditions for financing the project. Three earlier JICA fact-finding missions also raised the issues," said a source, which is familiar with the project's latest developments. "The new mission will obviously point out lack of solid progress in these issues. And I am afraid that they may delay funding the project unless they see some concrete shapes in all the fronts," he added. JICA had earlier announced its desire to sign agreement for the project in January next year and asked the Bangladeshi authorities to complete "these tasks" by October when it wanted to send a loan appraisal mission. Dhaka Transport Coordination Board (DTCB), which is executing the project, said they have met quite a few JICA demand in the meantime, including confirmation of uninterrupted power supply for the high passenger capacity speedy transport service. "The Power Division has assured us that it would provide 30 megawatt electricity to the MRT," said SM Salauddin, the DTCB executive director. He ruled out any delay in the loan negotiation saying other issues would be resolved in time. The MRT-6 project has suffered one after another setback since a JICA commissioned a team to study the feasibility of a metro rail service for Dhaka. The team found 21.5 kilometre alignment from Uttara to Motijheel through Rokeya Sarani, Bijoy Sarani and Farmgate feasible, prompting the Japanese agency to express is eagerness to provide soft credit for the project.