Mirpur-10 metro rail station reopens tomorrow, just 2.5 months after vandalism

The Mirpur-10 metro rail station is set to reopen tomorrow, just two months and 17 days after being closed due to damage. This follows the reopening of the Kazipara station on 20 September.

Initially, during the previous government's tenure, it was announced that it would take a year to reopen the damaged stations, with an estimated cost of around Tk350 crore.

Today, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) officially announced the reopening of the Mirpur-10 station, though no specific details were provided regarding the exact repair costs. 

At a press conference held at DMTCL's office, Managing Director Mohammad Abdur Rouf confirmed the reopening, noting that the final cost is still being calculated. "Don't ask about the expenses right now. We are still in the process of determining that," he said.

The closure of the station occurred on 18 July during the anti-discrimination student movement, when a police box at the Mirpur-10 roundabout was set on fire. The metro service was suspended at 5pm that day, and the following day, both the Mirpur-10 and Kazipara stations were vandalised.

On 20 July, after visiting the site, DMTCL's the then managing director MAN Siddique had said, "It may take about a year to repair and reopen the two damaged stations."

Similarly, after visiting the Mirpur-10 station on 25 July, then prime minister Sheikh Hasina tearfully said, "The metro rail service is closed due to extensive damage to the station, which includes fully modern digital and electronic systems. I don't know how long it will take to fix."

Two days later, on 27 July, then-minister of Road Transport and Bridges Obaidul Quader said, "The Kazipara and Mirpur-10 metro stations are heavily damaged. Experts say it won't be possible to bring in the equipment and get them running for at least a year."

Despite these early projections, the Kazipara station was reopened within two months, and now, after just two months and 17 days, the Mirpur-10 station is also reopening. The repair of Kazipara station cost Tk20.26 lakh, while the cost for Mirpur-10's repairs is expected to be announced later.

Officials have suggested that the final cost may be close to Tk138 crore, which is less than half the initial estimate made by the previous government. However, the exact amount will be confirmed once all expenses are finalised.

Managing Director Abdur Rouf said, "No contractor or foreign expert was needed to repair these stations. DMTCL itself fixed both stations." 

"Local resources were used, and some materials were sourced from other metro stations. DMTCL will not request additional funds from the government for these repairs, he added.

Several components at the Mirpur-10 station were damaged, including automatic ticket vending machines, computers, automatic entry and exit gates, electronic screens, and glass panels. 

While some materials were sourced from the local market, items like the ticket machines and fare-payment gates had to be temporarily borrowed from other metro stations, including Uttara Center, Uttara South, and Bijoy Sarani, where passenger traffic is lower.

Additionally, eight gates from the exhibition centre at the metro depot in Uttara were installed at the Mirpur-10 station, with plans to replace them once new machines are imported.

Regarding metro rail revenue, the managing director said, "From 25 August to 31 August, the revenue was Tk5 crore. In September, the total revenue reached Tk33.71 crore, with an average daily income of Tk1.22 crore. 

"In the first 13 days of October, the revenue was Tk11.22 crore, with an average daily income of Tk86 lakh. Revenue was slightly lower in October due to four days of holidays."