Dhaka Considers Extending Metro Rail Operating Hours
Dhaka’s metro rail is set to extend its operating hours, particularly at night, with authorities planning to add 40 to 50 minutes to its service schedule. The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), responsible for the metro’s construction and operation, is currently conducting technical examinations to implement the extended service. An official announcement is expected once these trials are complete.
The goal is to launch the extended hours by the end of May or after the Eid al-Adha holiday. This expansion will also reduce the interval between trains by 30 seconds, bringing the frequency down to every 4.5 minutes during peak hours.
বিজ্ঞাপন
According to DMTCL sources, the last train departing from Motijheel towards Uttara is planned to run until 11 p.m., an increase from the current departure time of 10:10 p.m. Conversely, the final train from Uttara to Motijheel is slated to depart at 10:10 p.m., extended from the present 9:30 p.m. The morning service, which currently begins with the first train from Uttara at 6:30 a.m. and from Motijheel at 7:15 a.m., is not slated for any immediate changes.
This move follows a previous extension of operating hours in October last year, which saw the morning service commence 30 minutes earlier and the last train at night delayed by half an hour. Currently, the metro operates 297 trips daily. The planned increase in nighttime operational hours will naturally lead to an increase in the total number of daily trips.
বিজ্ঞাপন
The reduction in headway between trains will be most noticeable during peak hours. On weekdays, excluding holidays, the current gap between trains is five minutes. With the new schedule, this interval during peak times will be reduced to 4.5 minutes. During off-peak hours, the interval currently ranges from 7 to 20 minutes, with train frequencies varying across different periods of the day, including longer intervals in the early morning and shorter ones during office hours, and increased gaps in the afternoon and evening.
Commuters like Mahmudur Rahman, a lawyer who works in Polton, expressed hope for the extended hours. He currently faces difficulties returning home by metro after late-night work, often resorting to bus travel from Agargaon. “I cannot leave before 10:30 p.m. after finishing my work,” he said. “I have to go to Agargaon by bus, which is very difficult. If I can get a metro at night, it will save time and make my commute comfortable.”
Regular passengers also noted that while early morning trains might have fewer passengers, the last trains at night are often full, indicating a strong demand for later services. This suggests that extending nighttime operations will benefit more passengers and potentially increase ridership.
The metro rail currently utilizes 24 sets of trains, each comprising six coaches, for the Uttara-Motijheel route. During peak hours, 12 sets are in constant operation. With the extended hours and increased trips, DMTCL plans to deploy 14 sets of trains for continuous service.
DMTCL officials stated that the system has the capacity to run a train every 3.5 minutes. The initial project projections anticipated metro operations from early morning until midnight, but gradual extensions are being implemented due to staffing considerations.
The projected daily ridership for the Uttara-Motijheel route was five lakh passengers. Currently, an average of over 4.25 lakh passengers use the metro daily. With the ongoing expansion to Kamalapur, expected to open next year, the daily passenger count is projected to rise to 6.77 lakh.
N.M. Majumder, Director (Operation and Maintenance) of DMTCL, confirmed to Prothom Alo that tests are underway to extend nighttime operations in both directions. The Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges will make the final decision regarding the specific timing and duration of the extended service.
Dhaka’s metro rail first commenced operations on December 28, 2022, initially running between Uttara and Agargaon. The service was progressively expanded, with full operations across all stations to Motijheel commencing on the last day of 2023.
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