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The government is planning to select a local company named Contech Limited, for constructing the proposed 52-kilometre underground metro rail (subway) system to reduce traffic congestion in the densely populated capital city.
The communications ministry is learnt to have prepared a proposal to select the local company for implementing the metro rail project. A proposal to this effect would be placed at the cabinet committee on economic affairs to be held on September 27, sources in the communications ministry said.
According to the sources, Contech Limited has submitted a proposal to the communications ministry to construct the subway in Dhaka city at a cost of Tk 5,200 crore.
The company said that the underground railway system in the city could be established in three years' time. The system would have six routes covering almost every busy area of the city.
The communications secretary Md Muzammel Haque Khan has said that the communications ministry has enlisted the proposal of the company with the Bangladesh Private Sector Infrastructure Guidelines, as unsolicited proposal.
The ministry has informed the company that it has selected them as pre-qualified tenderers and asked them to attend in the final tender of constructing the metro rail, he added.
According to the proposal, the project will be implemented by the private sector on Build, Operate Transfer (BOT) basis under the supervision of Bangladesh Railway (BR).
The first route of the metro rail system would start from Gabtoli and end at Saidabad via IDB Bhaban and Mohakhali covering a length of 17 kilometres. The second route would be from Uttara to Mohakhali via airport and Banani.
The third route would run from Pallabi to IDB Bhaban, the fourth would be from Ring Road to Shahbagh Via Satmasjid Road and Jigatola. The fifth route would go from Saidabad to Tejgaon via Kamalapur and the sixth would be from Gulistan to Sadarghat.
It is learnt that, the company has got assurance from the donor agencies of a big chunk of money as soft loan.
A consortium of local banks would be approached for financing the rest of the money as commercial loan. If necessary, the company would also be able to collect money from the stock market by floating shares.
The proposed underground railway system could be established through cut and cover method without disturbing surface traffic on any major road. The fare on the subway would also be less than the fare of surface transport system.

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