Development of three more metro rail corridors has been proposed in the Revised Strategic Transport Plan (RSTP), of which updating is now at the final stage.
However, officials said the new corridors would be working as the bus priority corridors in the next two decades.
The RTSP proposed total six Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) corridors and two Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines supposed to be built by 2035.
Except the MRT line 6, none of the metro rail works could be implemented in accordance with the deadlines.
MRT line 1, MRT 5 North and MRT 5 South have remained stagnant at the procurement stage while MRT 2 and 4 are still at the planning stage.
Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) is conducting midterm review of RSTP to update all the 20 years of transport options due to change of scenario.
The URSTP proposed to develop four transport networks focusing on substantial investment in the MRT, BR and BRT for public transport and expressways for road network development.
Officials said the URSTP has proposed MRT 3, 7 and 8 on three more corridors which would, however, be used as the bus corridors in the next 20 years.
"Consultants may propose phasing out of the BRT corridors to MRT amid ridership increase," said Project Director Mohammad Rabiul Alam.
He said as the URSTP proposed bus network development like previous STP and RSTP, 11 bus net corridors have been proposed to be made functional in the city in the next 20 years till 2045.
The MRT 8 has been proposed to be built from Nimtoli to Gulshan 2, via Ghatachar, Mohammadpur, Bijoy Sarani, Tejgaon link road and Gulshan 1.
It will have interconnections with MRT 6, MRT 5 North and South at different points.
The MRT 7 is proposed to be set up from Chasara to Titakul through Signboard, Demra, Dasherkandi and Beraid.
Sources said during the stakeholder meetings, proposals were placed to convert BRT lines into MRTs particularly when the government has closed down the BRT 3 from Gazipur to Airport due to cost and time of the project.
But they said BRT corridor development is much lower investment than the MRTs in the city and the government should give priority on low cost projects to ease traffic congestion.
"Development of a BRT corridor costs Tk40 billion and above whereas to develop an MRT corridor the cost reaches Tk 600 billion and even more," said one of them.
He said the previous government's focus on mega projects and political economy have been blamed for inability to develop a successful bus network in the city.
According to the DTCA officials, the consultants did not recommend new MRTs during the next 20 years but proposed extension of the MRTs undertaken in the RTSP in 2015.
The MRT 1 extension up to Jhilmil from Kamalapur, MRT 6 extension up to Tongi from Uttara Diabari, MRT 2 upgrading towards Demra through Mohammadpur and Babu Bazar from Gabtoli etc. are likely to be proposed in the URSTP.
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