United News of Bangladesh

Railways Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam on Monday told Parliament that the government has no immediate plan to establish a metro rail or monorail link between Dhaka and neighbouring Narsingdi to improve connectivity. Replying to a starred question from BNP MP Khairul Kabir Khokon (Narsingdi-1), the minister said there is currently no proposal to introduce either a metro rail or monorail service connecting Narsingdi with the capital. Dhaka's Mass Rapid Transit system is more popularly known as the 'metro rail'. However, he said the revised Final Report on Updating the Revised Strategic Transport Plan (URSTP) includes a long-term proposal to extend both MRT Line-1 and MRT Line-5 (Northern Route) to Purinda in Araihazar upazila of Narayanganj in the third phase of implementation. The minister said the network could later be extended further to Narsingdi. Shaikh Rabiul Alam also said that, in line with the current government's election manifesto pledge to introduce monorail services in Dhaka and other metropolitan cities, the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) has included a monorail feasibility assessment in its action plan to improve feeder transport services in the capital. He said a project proposal titled "Pre-Feasibility Study of Monorail Alignment Integration with Mass Transit Networks in Dhaka Metropolitan Region", prepared by the DTCA, is currently under review by the ministry. The minister added that no final decision has yet been taken on the implementation of a monorail system in Dhaka.