Photo : Collected
Despite repeated announcements, the Metro Rail has not begun operations. Allegations suggest that the Metro Rail is not resuming its operation despite having the capability to do so, reportedly due to interference from an old syndicate. However, on Sunday, Road Transport and Bridges Adviser Muhammad Fawzul Kabir Khan said that the Metro Rail will be operational within 7 days.
The Metrorail was closed on the afternoon of July 18 due to vandalism and arson during the agitation. The next day, Metrorail’s Kazipara and Mirpur 10 stations were vandalised and set on fire. The attacks were carried out at Pallabi and Mirpur 11 stations. Since then, the Metrorail has been stopped. Since the introduction of Metrorail in Dhaka, operations have been halted several times due to various reasons. However, this is the first incident involving vandalism and fire affecting the Metrorail.
It is known that all responsibilities related to Metrorail operations, ticket sales, maintenance, etc., fall to the lower permanent staff. They are 10th to 20th grade employees, numbering more than seven hundred. Since August 8, they have been observing a complete strike with six-point demands to eliminate discrimination. Recruitment of these employees began in 2019. Currently, there is no technical problem. According to concerned sources, the Metrorail could not be started due to the strike.
The source said that those who are agitating are mainly people from the previous Awami League government. To prevent the public from enjoying the benefits of this popular communication medium, they have initiated this unwanted movement. It is also known that several high-level leaders of the Awami League are behind the movement.
Additionally, it is known from various sources that two former MPs from the Mirpur area, who own numerous buses that ply the Mirpur-Motijheel route, were involved in the vandalism of two Metrorail stations. It is alleged that their transport workers led the vandalism at that time.
Meanwhile, in the context of the government's downfall amid mass movements, and with the interim government taking over, there was a push to launch the Metrorail. On August 11, officials associated with the operation of the Metrorail stated that preparations were underway to run the Metrorail on a trial basis throughout the week from Monday and Tuesday to assess the situation before full-scale operations. At the end of the trial run, workers were instructed to start operations from August 17. However, since the technical tests for the railway have not been completed, operations have not started as of last Saturday.
Last Thursday night, Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) issued a notification stating, “Due to unavoidable reasons, the necessary technical tests for the reopening of the Metrorail have not yet begun. It is also necessary to ensure the overall safety of the Metrorail system and passengers traveling on the Metrorail before reopening the Metrorail and opening 14 stations other than Mirpur-10 and Kazipara stations.”
However, Muhammad Fawzal Kabir Khan, advisor to the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, has said that the damaged Metrorail will be launched within the next seven days. In a press conference at the Secretariat on Sunday, he stated that work is underway to address the existing problems to start the Metrorail.
He said, “There were two problems with launching it. One problem was the lack of board members. We have resolved that. There will be a meeting of that board on Monday. It will take two to four days to inspect the lines after the meeting. Our managing director has given us a timeline to try to launch it within the next seven days.”
According to DMTCL sources, during the quota reform movement, there was no damage to the coaches, lines, or signal system of the popular public transport Metrorail in the capital, Dhaka. The ticket sales and passenger fare collection systems at Mirpur-10 and Kazipara stations have been affected. Excluding these two stations, the Metrorail can be launched at any time from the remaining 14 stations.
They said that, apart from Mirpur-10 and Kazipara stations, the systems for passenger movement, ticket sales, and automatic fare deduction are completely intact. As a result, it is possible to start the Metrorail from Uttara to Motijheel at any time. They will commence operations once they receive a decision from higher authorities.
Dr. Hadiuzzaman, Professor of the Civil Engineering Department at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), told The Daily Messenger, “The entire operation of the Metrorail is controlled from the central control room located at Uttara Depot. As a result, there is no problem with signal or communication. And if the core infrastructure is not damaged, there is no problem in starting the Metrorail. It should be launched for the convenience of Dhaka residents.”
Messenger/Fameema
