The Bridges Division has started the work of route inspection for the planned 238-kilometre subway network across the city.
The subway network will be built for a traffic-free city. In this case, 10 subway routes have been identified initially to bring the entire capital to this network. The draft in this regard has been sent to the bridge department. The committees of the Bridges Division have already started the work of route inspection, according to sources.
There will be 216 stations in the 238 km complete network. It is learned that a report will be submitted soon in this regard.
Meanwhile, the physical progress of the project 'Conducting Feasibility Study for Construction of Subway (Underground Metro) in Dhaka City' till August is 57 percent. This was revealed in the meeting of the Project Steering Committee (PSC) held on October 25. Bridge Secretary Mohammad Belayet Hossain presided over the function.
Mohammed Belayet Hossain, Secretary of Bridges Division said that a 90-kilometer subway was to be built at the initial stage. Then four routes were determined. Now that it has increased to 238 km, the number of routes has also increased. Where there will be no MRT (Metrorail). Those routes are included in the subway.
Responding to a question, he said that although the work of the feasibility study project was hampered due to coronavirus, it has now been cut off. The cost of implementing this feasibility project is Tk 321 crore.
The initially scheduled routes are-- Route B: Golartech-Turag City-Matikata Road-Air Force Headquarters-Baridhara DOHS-Purbachal Sector 21-Purbachal Sector East and Purbachal Malum City. The length of this route will be 29.92 km and there will be 26 stations.
Route-C: Ramchandrapur-Nobudoy Housing Society-Mohammadpur-Mohakhali-Police Plaza, Hatirjheel-Aftabnagar North and Sun Valley East. Length of this route will be 16.33 km and there will be 15 stations.
Route-D: Bhawal-Chandipur-Atibazar-East Nandipara-BTTC, up to Banasree and Demra Road. Length will be 18.91 km and there will be 17 stations. Route-F: Shankar-West Dhanmondi-Dhanmondi Club-Trimohoni and West Dhitpur. Length is 14.10 km and 13 stations.
Route-G: Adabar-Mohammadpur-New Chowrasta Junction-Shoshanghat and Bashundhara River View North. Length is 17.53 km and there are 15 stations.
Route-J: Darussalam-Pirerbagh-Shewrapara-Jalshiri Sector 4-Jalsinri Sector 15 South-Jalsinri Sector 15 North-Purbachal Central and Purbachal Sector-28. Length is 27.17 km and there are 24 stations.
Route - O: TSC-Machimpur-Uttara Sector 10-Rajanigandha Market-Rawa-Mohakhali-Khilgaon-Rajarbagh-Kamalapur-Sayedabad and Murgitola. Length is 26.32 km and there are 24 stations.
Route-P: Aziz Market-Matikata Road-Vashantek Bazar-Gulistan-Nayabazar-Sadarghat-Khezurbagh-Muslim Nagar and Teghariya Bazar. Length is 23.36 km and there are 20 stations.
Route-S: Kamrangirchar-Shahidnagar-Lalbagh-Rayerbagh-Matuail-Signboard-Sanarpara-Mouchak-Chittagong Road-and up to Kanchpur. Length is 19.50 km and there are 18 stations.
Route T: Adarshnagar-Kalma-Akupara-Ashulia Model Town West-Ashulia Model Town Central-Noapara (Dakshin Khan) Naddapara (Dakshin Khan), Barua North, Barua South-POHS-Bashundhara Block K&L-Shibu Market-DC Office-Newcourt and up to Chashara. The length will be 47.54 km and there will be 44 stations.
According to the officials, the consulting firm has carried out feasibility study of 238 km subway network and preliminary design of 90 km. And the draft of subway law has already been prepared. That is now being reviewed in the bridge division.
According to the bridge division sources, the current population of Dhaka city is about 17 million. The population density per square kilometer is about 7,950. Traffic jams in Dhaka city cause a loss of around Tk 55,000 crore every year. To get rid of this situation, the bridge division has taken initiative to build a subway (underground metro) in Dhaka city.
In this case, it has been said that where 100 buses can carry 10,000 passengers per hour on the road, it is possible to carry 60,000 passengers per hour on the subway.