Dhaka: The overall progress of the 21.26-kilometre-long elevated metro rail service’s construction work from Uttara to Motijheel-Kamalapur Railway stands at 72.99 per cent now. Moreover, 89.88 per cent of the civil work between Uttara and Agargaon has been completed.

“At present, 11.73-kilometre viaduct, station column and other related works of metro rail between Uttara and Agargaon have been completed,” said MAN Siddique, Managing Director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd (DMTCL), on December 5.

He said construction work of the Mass-Rapid Transport (MRT) Line-6, the country’s first elevated metro rail system in Dhaka city under the Fast Track projects, is going on in full swing, aiming to open it for commercial operation by next year.

The metro train undertaken by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina began its mainline performance test on the viaduct in October, which will require six months, Siddique added.

According to the project details, the eighth set of metro trains reached the Mongla port, while the ninth and tenth shipment of the metro train set will reach the country in January 2022.

The total 21.26-kilometre metro-rail project is being built in eight packages. The details said work of check boring, test pile, main pile, pile cap, eye guarders, precast segment casting, pier head, viaduct, parapet wall on the viaduct, long span balanced cantilever, sub-structure of all stations concourse roof, platforms and steel roof structure under the package three and four completed, while 76.18 per cent overall progress of package-five has been done.

Besides, installation of roof sheets on Uttara North, Uttara South, Pallabi, Mirpur-11, Mirpur-10 and Agargaon stations were completed, while work is going on to set up roof sheets on Uttara Centre, Kazipara and Shewrapara stations.

Construction work of Bijoy Sarani, Farmgate, Karwan Bazar stations is being implemented fast, said officials.

The land development work of the depot (Package-I) area has been done. It started on September 8, 2016.

The construction progress of telecommunication, power substation, signalling and rooms for station controllers under package-7 stood at 79.20 per cent.

The project details said the metro rail is projected to carry 60,000 passengers per hour by travelling the entire route of 21.26 km from Uttara to Motijheel-Kamalapur Railway Station in less than 40 minutes.

The iconic stations will be at Diabari, Mirpur and Motijheel, while other stations will be constructed ordinarily.