Dhaka metro rail to be as modern as Bangkok's: Thai envoy

Thailand Ambassador to Bangladesh Makawadee Sumitmor today lauded the progress of Dhaka metro rail construction works and said it would be as modern as Bangkok's metro rail.

"The quality and facilities of Dhaka's metro rail will be as per the standard of our (Thailand's) ones," she told reporters after visiting the Metro rail project site at Uttara in the capital.

The envoy visited the site as part of the events to commemorate 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Bangladesh while a leading Thai construction companies named Italian-Thai Development Company Plc (ITD) is working for constructing a large faction of the Bangladesh's first ever metro rail.

Sumitmor said Thailand is involved with Bangladesh in many of economic cooperation endeavors and the Dhaka metro rail is one of the flagship projects.

She said the metro rail is an effective tool to uplift the urban life adding, "I am impressed to see the quality of works."

The ambassador expected that the metro rail project would make the country's people know more about Thailand's involvement and contribution in the development of Bangladesh.

During the visit, Project Manager Virat Kanta explained the progress of the construction works.

The Metro rail is scheduled to open for public from Uttara to Agargaon by end of this year and up to Motijheel by December next year.

The Line-6 of the Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project (MRT), which is the first metro rail line in the country spanning 19.83 kilometres from Uttara to Motijheel, is divided into 8 contracts from CP-01 to CP-08.

According to the plan, MRT Line 6 will be extended by another 1.17 kilometres to connect with Line-1 at Kamalapur Rail Station.

ITD was awarded CP-03 and CP-04 in 2017, with a value of 37 billion taka, which comprises construction of 9 elevated stations and viaduct from Uttara to Agargaon.

Besides, ITD also entered into joint ventures with foreign partners to work in other parts of the metro rail like building warehouse and depot in Uttara North and constructing 4 elevated stations and viaduct from Karwanbazar to Motijheel.

Overall, ITD created approximately 6,000 jobs since the construction started, project officials said.

ITD has been involved in constructing numerous infrastructure projects in Thailand and abroad such as Suvarnabhumi Airport, Rupsa Bridge in Khulna, an integrated passenger terminal at Kolkata International Airport and the widening of parts of National Highway Route NH-31C in West Bengal.

ITD also supported the renovation of classrooms at Mariali Government Primary School which is one of the two schools in Bangladesh participating in the Children and Youth Development Project under the patronage of Thai Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.