For most people living in Bangladesh, although Dhaka is still the most desirable city to settle down in, according to most livability index it is ironically not the very livable. On one side it offers all the facilities and amenities of the modern world, on the other, it falls significantly behind in provisioning some of the most basic facilities.
A crippled transportation system coupled with sluggish traffic conditions has made it clear that it is almost impossible to move forward as a nation without fixing these problems first. But the great news is this problem has been addressed and the government has taken extensive measures to ease traffic congestion under the Strategic Transport Plan (STP).
Among them is the implementation of metro rails in Dhaka. Once completed, it will play a significant role in reducing the road congestion from the most traffic-prone areas of Dhaka. Having that said, from the routes to the stations, here is everything you need to know about the Dhaka metro rails and more.
An Overview
As a part of Dhaka City’s 20-year long Strategic Transport Plan (STP), the government of Bangladesh invited Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to conduct a feasibility study on the transportation system in Dhaka back in 2009-2010. Subsequently, a plan for Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) was conceptualized and that ushered in the formation of the implementing agency, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd. (DMTC).
In total there will be six MRT lines across Dhaka city to ease the traffic congestion. And they will be implemented over the next 10 years (considering 10 years have already passed since 2010), one after another, starting from MRT Line-6, the construction of which is already underway.
When completed, the metro rail network will be 129.901 km (68.729 km elevated and 61.172 km underground) long and will feature 105 stations (52 elevated and 53 underground ).
In the following sections, we will be discussing the whereabouts of Dhaka metro rails and much more.
MRT Line-1
31.241 km long MRT Line – 1 of Dhaka metro rails is divided into 2 sections: Airpor route (Underground) and Purbachal route (Elevated). There will be 21 stations in total. Of which 14 will be constructed underground and 7 will be elevated. Natun Bazar station and Jamuna Future Park station will be constructed underground as part of the Airport route. And Natun Bazar will house an inter-change. Meaning, one can change their route from Airport to Purbachal and the other way around using this inter-change.
Airport Route
No of Stations: 14 (Underground)
Route alignment: Airport – Airport Terminal 3 – Khilkhet – Nadda (Jamuna Future Park) – Natun Bazar – North Badda – Badda – Hatirjheel East – Rampura – Malibagh – Rajarbagh – Kamlapur
Length: 19.872 km
Terminals: Shahjalal International Airport, and Kamalapur Railway Station
Interchange stations: Kamalapur Railway Station (MRT Line 1, 2, 4, 6), Notun Bazar (MRT Line 1, 5 North)
Depot: Rupganj
Proposed completion date: 2026
Purbachal Route
No of Stations: 7 (Elevated)
Route alignment: Natun Bazar – Nadda (Jamuna Future Park) – Joar Sahara – Boalia – Mostul – Sheikh Hasina Cricket Stadium – Purbachal Central – Purbachal East – Purbachal Terminal – Pitalganj Depot
Length: 11.369 km
Terminals: Notun Bazar, and Purbachal Terminal
Interchange stations: Notun Bazar (MRT Line 1, 5 North), Kamalapur Railway Station (MRT Line 1, 2, 4, 6)
Depot: Rupganj
Proposed completion date: 2026
MRT Line-2
Overall progress: 62% of the preliminary study is done (as of September 2021)
No of Stations: 22 (4 elevated and 18 underground)
Route alignment: Gabtoli – Embankment Road – Basila – Mohammadpur BRTC Bus Stand – Sat Masjid Road – Jhigatola – Dhanmondi Road 2 – Science Laboratory – New Market – Neelkhet – Azimpur – Palashi –Shaheed Minar – Dhaka Medical College – Police Headquarters – Golap Shah Mazar – Eastern Side Road of Bangabhaban – Motijheel – Arambagh – Kamlapur – Mugda – Manda – Demra – Chattogram Road.
Length: 24 km
Terminals: Gabtoli, and Chittagong Road
Interchange stations: Gabotoli (MRT Line-5 North and South), Kamalapur Railway Station (MRT Line 1, 2, 4, 6)
Depot: Hemayetpur
Proposed completion date: 2030
MRT Line-4
Overall progress: Initiatives are ongoing to implement the project based on PPP
No of Stations: 15 (Elevated)
Route alignment: Kamalapur Railway Station – Narayonganj
Length: 16 km
Terminals: Kamalapur Railway Station, and Narayonganj
Interchange stations: Kamalapur Railway Station (MRT Line 1, 2, 4, 6)
Depot: Not yet decided
Proposed completion date: 2025
MRT Line-5 (Northern Route)
This one will be 20 km long when completes. Of which 13.5 km of the Dhaka metro rails will be underground and 6.5 km will be elevated. There will be 14 stations altogether (9 underground stations and 5 elevated stations).
Overall progress: Feasibility study and Basic design are done. Detailed design progress is 16.70% completed (as of September 2021).
No of Stations: 14 (5 elevated and 9 underground)
Route alignment: Hemayetpur – Baliarpur – Bilamalia – Amin Bazar – Gabtoli – Dar us Salam – Mirpur 1 – Mirpur 10 – Mirpur 14 – Kochukhet – Banani – Gulshan 2 – Natun Bazar – Vatara
Length: 20 km
Terminals: Hemayetpur, and Bhatara
Interchange stations: Gabtoli (MRT Line-5 North and South), Notun Bazar (MRT Line 1, 5)
Depot: Hemayetpur
Proposed completion date: 2028
MRT Line-5 (Southern Route)
MRT Line-5 Southern Route will be 17.40 km long. Of which 12.8 km metro rails in Dhaka will be underground and 4.6 km will be elevated. There will be 16 stations altogether (12 underground stations and 4 elevated stations).
Overall progress: Feasibility study is 17% completed and Basic design is 25% completed.
No of Stations: 16 (4 elevated and 12 underground)
Route alignment: Gabtoli – Technical – Kallyanpur – Shamoli – College Gate – Asad Gate – Russel Square – Karwan Bazar – Hatirjheel West – Tejgaon – Niketon – Aftabnagar West – Aftabnagar Center – Aftabnagar East – Dasherkandi – Balurpar
Length: 17.4 km
Terminals: Gabtoli, and Dasherkandi
Interchange stations: Gabtoli (MRT Line-5 North and South)
Depot: Dasherkandi
Proposed completion date: 2027
MRT Line-6
As of now, the overall progress of the MRT Line-6 is 70.58%. As per the directives of the Honourable Prime Minister works for detailed design and land acquisition is underway to extend MRT Line-6 by 1.16 kilometers from Motijheel to Kamlapur railway station. Currently, the metro trains that are expected to operate on this route is going through testing and has done a couple of trial run as well. If everything goes smoothly, it will open to the public by December 2022.
No of Stations: 16 (Elevated)
Route alignment: Uttara 3rd Phase – Pallabi – through the western side of Rokeya Sarani to Farmgate via Khamar Bari – Hotel Sonargaon – Shahbagh – TSC – Doyel Chattar – Topkhana Road – Bangladesh Bank
Length: 20.10 km
Terminals: Uttara Terminal, and Kamalapur Railway Station
Interchange stations: Kamalapur Railway Station (MRT Line 1, 2, 4, 6)
Depot: Uttara Terminal
Proposed completion date: 2022
Although experts have different opinions when it comes to the actual effectiveness of the Dhaka metro rails in reducing the horrible traffic condition in Dhaka, they agree that with other effective measures it is certainly achievable. And the government has already undertaken some long-term projects along with the metro rails in Dhaka, including three-ring roads to deviate traffic from the city center, two rapid bus routes, and 1,200 km of new roadways. Now all that remains to be seen is how all these play out in real life.
If you have any questions regarding the article, feel free to let us know in the comments sections below.
