The Dhaka metro rail company has appointed a Japanese joint venture company to carry out detailed design and supervision consultancy work of the city's third metro rail project, planned from Hemayetpur to Vatara in the city as an extension of the east-west corridor.
The joint venture of Nippon KOEI of Japan and Oriental Consultant Global Company Limited was selected to complete the works of Mass Rapid Transit Line-5 North at a cost of Tk 16 billion.
A contract signing ceremony was held through video conference between Mass Transit Company Limited Company selected (DMTCL) and Nippon KOEI and Oriental Consultant.
DMTCL Managing Director MAN Siddique and Director in-charge of Nippon KOEI Ken Nishino and Oriental Global President Eiji Yonezawa signed their respective documents on behalf of their sides.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader and Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Ito Naoki witnessed the ceremony virtually.
Road Transport and Highways Division Secretary Nazrul Islam and Chief Representative of Japan International Cooperation Agency Yuho Hayakawa and project directors of other metro rail projects and DMTCL officials and consultants attended the video conference.
The minister said the government has planned to develop six metro rail corridors in Dhaka and its surrounding areas through elevated and underground and Hamayetpur-Vatara route is northern part of MRT 5.
The 20-km MRT-5 North will be constructed at a cost of Tk 410 billion, including Tk 290 billion financial support of the Japanese government, he added.
The minister said work of under construction MRT Line-6 has recently been accelerated with recording progress so far 45 per cent. Ten km viaduct and one km rail track were completed till now.
smunima@yahoo.com