Second consignment of metro train arrives Dhaka

The second consignment containing six coaches of the metro train under Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line-6 project arrived temporary jetty at the capital's Diabari on Tuesday evening.

Confirming the matter, ABM Arifur Rahman, Project Manager-5 (rolling stock) of the MRT, told The Business Standard that the consignment had reached the jetty at 7pm. These coaches will be taken to a depot on Wednesday if the weather is favourable.

The officials of the Road Transport and Highways Division and Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Company and MRT line-6 project were present when the coaches arrived.

The consignment left the Japanese port of Kobe and reached Mongla port on 9 May by Belize-flagged ship MV Ocean Grace.

The Kawasaki-Mitsubishi Consortium of Japan started construction of 24 sets of the metro train with six coaches each and one rescue train for MRT-6 in April 2019 under a Tk2,870-crore-deal signed in 2017.

The construction of the first full-fledged metro train was completed in April last year and the second in September.

Reusable aluminium alloy has been used to build the bodies of the compartments and the window glasses have been made bulletproof.

The compartments weighing 22-28 tonnes are about three metres in width and 20 metres in length and have a long-line seating arrangement.

Each of the coaches will have two air-conditioning units, with four doors for passengers.

The train will run at a maximum speed of 100 kilometres per hour. Regenerative electric brakes are used in the trains.

The metro trains will be operated using an automated radio communication system.

Some 83.82% of work on the first part (from Uttara to Agargaon) of the metro rail project has been done. In another part, from Agargaon-Motijheel, 65% of work has been completed so far.

The first consignment of the first set of metro train reached Dhaka on 23 April and the test run of the train has been completed.