Work on Dhaka Metro to finish in 2020: minister

The Bangladesh road transport and bridges minister expects construction of the Metro rail from Uttara to Motijheel in Dhaka to finish by 2020.Obaidul Quader sounded optimistic while speaking to journalists after the signing of two contracts to set up viaducts and stations from Agargaon to Motijheel under packages 5 and 6 of the project. He said the deaths of foreign workers, including six Japanese surveyors of the Metro rail project, in the July 1, 2016 terrorist attack on a Dhaka café stalled the work of the project for six months.“But it could not hurt the spirit the Japanese contractor and JICA. That’s good news. We covered the gap within six months,” he added.Japan International Co-operation Agency (JICA) is proving funds for the around 40bn taka project consisting of eight packages. Currently, work to set up viaducts and nine stations on around a 12km route from Uttara to Agargaon under packages 3 and 4 is under way.Quader hoped it would be possible to finish work on Uttara-Agargaon route within 2019 and Agargaon-Motijheel route within 2020.“Actually the project is scheduled to end by 2024. But Japan is providing quality work. A fine partnership is working here,” he said.According to the contracts signed on Monday, Tekken Corporation of Japan, Abdul Momen Limited and Abenikko JV will build viaducts and three stations under package 5 from Agargaon to Karwan Bazar for 18.55bn taka.Under package 6, a joint venture of Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Limited and ITD will set up the viaducts and four stations from Karwan Bazar to Motijheel for 23.32bn taka.