Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday opened the construction work of the country's first-ever 31.241-km underground metro rail project, Mass Rapid Transit Line-1 (MRT-1).
She unveiled the inaugural plaque of MRT Line-1, joining its launching ceremony at Purbachal in Rupganj of Narayanganj, on the outskirts of Dhaka.
The MRT Line-1 having both underground and elevated facilities will be constructed at an estimated cost of Tk 52,561.43 crore by 2026.
The first underground metro line will have two parts -- a 19.872-km part from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Kamalapur (Airport route) and an around 11.37-km elevated line from Natun Bazar to Purbachal reports UNB.
The airport-Kamalapur part includes 16.4-km underground with 12 stations, while the Natun Bazar-Purbachal part includes seven stations.
A total of six metro rail routes will be inaugurated in the capital city Dhaka by 2030.
To implement the MRT Line-1, Japan International Cooperation (JICA) will finance Tk 39,450.32 crore, while the rest Tk 13,111.11 crore will be drawn from the government’s fund.
