Dhaka Metro Rail to Extend Service to Kamalapur by April 2025
Dhaka’s transit landscape is set for a significant expansion as authorities finalize plans to extend the city’s first metro rail line to Kamalapur. The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) has scheduled the start of trial runs on the Motijheel-Kamalapur extension for January, with passenger services expected to commence in April.
The extension represents a vital link for daily commuters like Mohsin Hossain, who currently relies on rickshaws and additional bus transfers to reach the Kamalapur railway hub from the Motijheel metro station. Completion of this final 1.16-kilometer segment is projected to boost total daily ridership across the entire MRT Line-6 from the current four lakh to approximately 6.77 lakh passengers.
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Infrastructure progress on the extension is currently at 78.38 percent. While the physical construction of the viaduct and the Kamalapur station building is largely complete—with finishing touches like tiling and painting underway—the more complex electro-mechanical phase has recently gathered momentum. This includes the installation of signaling, automated fare collection systems, elevators, escalators, and track electrification.
The project’s physical construction is being handled by Thailand-based Italian-Thai Development Public Company, while the electro-mechanical component was awarded to India’s Larsen & Toubro. The contract for the latter was finalized at 465 crore taka following a successful price negotiation by the interim government, which secured a 186-crore taka reduction from the contractor’s initial proposal.
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Logistical challenges remain, particularly regarding the delivery of specialized signaling and automated entry equipment from Japan’s Nippon Signal Company. Global demand for these components has caused some delays, though DMTCL officials remain optimistic about receiving the hardware in time. Should procurement issues persist, the agency is considering utilizing components from existing stations to ensure the January trial schedule is met.
Because the current metro line from Uttara to Motijheel operates at high capacity throughout the day, officials noted that testing on the new extension will be restricted to post-midnight hours. This constraint necessitates a three-month testing phase—longer than the typical two-month window—to ensure safety and system integration before the public opening in April.
The total length of MRT Line-6, once completed, will reach 21.26 kilometers, featuring 17 stations from Uttara North to Kamalapur. Since its inception, the project’s budget has grown from an initial 21,985 crore taka to 33,472 crore taka, with 19,718 crore taka sourced through loans from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Looking beyond the current project, authorities are planning a broader transit network for Dhaka, aiming to build six metro lines totaling roughly 140 kilometers. Future proposals include extending the line from Uttara to Tongi, adding 7.5 kilometers and five additional stations, though formal project plans for this expansion have yet to be finalized.
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