Govt to amend Metro Rail Act

The government is going to amend the Metro Rail Act-2015 to incorporate several sections, including amendments to facilitate the construction of underground metro rail, which is now ongoing.

Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd (DMTCL), the implementing and operating agency of the metro rail, has already prepared a draft and sent it to the Road Transport and Highways Division under the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry, officials said.

An ordinance, in absence of the parliament, will be issued upon completion of the necessary scrutiny and taking opinions from stakeholders, they added.

The move came at a time when DMTCL is implementing three metro rail projects, including the extension of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line-6, the country's first metro rail line.

The decision to amend the act was taken to make the law time-befitting and address some other issues. There won't be any major changes. An amendment to the act was proposed to make metro rail operations more effective.

— Mohammad Abdur Rouf Managing director, DMTCL

Two other ongoing projects -- MRT Line-1 and MRT Line-5 (northern route) -- have underground sections.

The previous Awami League government in June 2013 formed the state-run DMTCL to construct metro rail lines and operate and maintain metro rail services.

The parliament passed the Metro Rail Act-2015 in January 2015 to devise the construction of metro rail lines as well as operate, control and maintain metro rail services.

"The decision to amend the act was taken to make the law time-befitting and address some other issues," Mohammad Abdur Rouf, managing director of DMTCL, told The Daily Star on Tuesday.

"There won't be any major changes. Amendment of the act was proposed to make metro rail operation more effective," he added.

A DMTCL official said the main issue for amendment of the act is related to the construction of the underground metro rail.

The official, wishing to remain anonymous, said although the existing law has mentioned the underground metro rail, it is not enough, so the change is needed.

The main issue for amendment of the act is related to the construction of the underground metro rail. The existing law is not clear about how the right of the land would be settled. So, the change is needed.

— A DMTCL official

For example, he said a major portion of MRT Line-1 and MRT Line-5 (northern route) will go underground. However, the existing law is not clear about how the right of the land would be settled. Thus the amendment is needed.

Settling this issue, through the amendment of the law, was a condition of JICA, the financier of both projects, another DMTCL official said.

Besides, some other issues like penalties linked with the operation of metro rail will be added in the amended law, he added.

Nafiul Hasan, additional secretary (urban transport wing) of the Road Transport and Highways Division, said "We have received a proposal, but are yet to review it. We will take the next step upon review."

The Uttara-Motijheel section of the MRT Line-6, which is being implemented at a cost of Tk 33,472 crores, was opened to the public in November last year and the Motijheel-Kamalapur section is now under construction.

The physical work on MRT Line-1 and Line-5 (northern route) began in March and July last year respectively, more than three years after the projects were approved in October 2019.

The project authorities of MRT Line-1, the country's first underground metro rail line, have so far been able to hire contractors for only one out of 12 packages. The project deadline is set for December 2026.

Under the Tk 52,561 crore project, the authority will build a 19.87km underground line from Dhaka airport to Kamalapur and an 11.37km elevated line from Dhaka's Natunbazar to Narayangan's Pitalganj.

Similarly, the project authority of MRT Line-5 (northern route) has so far hired contractors for only one out of 10 packages. The 20km line stretching from Hemayetpur to Bhatara will have underground and elevated sections. The deadline for the Tk 41,239 crore project is December 2028.

The authorities of MRT Lines 1 and 5 are now developing land for setting up depots.