Northern Route (MRT Line 5). The Northern Route () is one of the branches of the approved MRT Line 5 of Dhaka Metro Rail; the other one being the Southern Route. The construction of the Northern Route started in 4 November 2023 and is scheduled to commence operation by 2028.

History

Development
In 2005, the World Bank published a study report, recommending that the government of Bangladesh build a mass transit system in Dhaka. In the same year, American consultancy firm Louis Berger Group prepared a strategic transport plan for Dhaka. The World Bank helped to develop this plan, which proposed the construction of five MRT lines in Dhaka. The five metro lines were MRT Line 1, MRT Line 2, MRT Line 4, MRT Line 5 and MRT Line 6. On 7 August 2018, the government sought expression of interest for the northern route project. On 15 December 2019, the project was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC). At that time, the potential construction cost of the Northern Route was estimated at around . This has been considered as a fast track project by the government. In June 2020, Nippon Koei Company Limited was commissioned to design the route. However, as the proposed alignment of the route would pass over the Dhaka–Aricha highway, the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) objected to its construction and halted the pre-construction activities. A meeting was held between the two sides on 23 March 2021 to resolve the issue. In the meeting, the RHD proposed to the metro authority to change the alignment and shift it to the south. But it became impossible due to the acquired land for depot at Hemayetpur and technical reasons. On 28 June 2022, a loan agreement of 71% of the total budget was signed between Bangladesh and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to finance the project. On 3 October 2022, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) got the ownership of the land acquired by the depot. On 17 April 2023, DMTCL stated that it intends to start its construction in July of the same year depending on the decision of the Board of Directors meeting scheduled the next day. On 23 May 2023, a contract worth  was signed by TOE Corporation and Spectra Engineers Limited with the metro authority for the construction of the depot. Another meeting was held that day between RHD and DMTCL where RHD once again requested to change the location of two stations of the line which were to be constructed in Savar Upazila. According to RHD, construction of the line on the median of the highway will cause traffic jams on the highway. Also, construction of the line on the highway may make it an accident-prone highway. However, the Additional Chief Engineer of RHD said that considering the importance of the metro project, the government will revise the alignment of the expressway. Besides, according to the project director of the Northern Route, there will be no problem if the width of the highway is increased on the other side while closing one side of the highway while constructing the line. In the same month, South Korea signed a framework arrangement to provide $1.5 billion in financing for the route. On 20 August 2023, Obaidul Quader, minister of Road Transport and Bridges, announced that the inauguration ceremony of the line's construction would happen on 16 September 2023. But later on 10 September 2023, the project official notified that it would not be possible on the fixed date of the tight schedule of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The construction of the line was then inaugurated on 4 November 2023 by Hasina, the same day as the opening of MRT Line 6's second phase which completed Line 6's operation from Agargaon to Motijheel.

Future plans
A station on this route is proposed at Kochukhet which is an area under Dhaka Cantonment. Therefore, DMTCL needed to get no-objection letter from Bangladesh Army to construct the station at this place. While applying the no-objection letter, the army suggested revising the line to Nabinagar in the west and the army-developed Jolshiri Abashon in the east. Later on 8 December 2020, DMTCL informed the Army that in future the line would be extended to the areas suggested by them.

Stations

The MRT Line 5's Northern Route has 14 proposed stations. 13.5 km of this route with 9 stations will be underground and 6.5 km with 5 stations will be elevated.

References

 
Savar Upazila
Rapid transit systems under construction
Proposed railway lines in Bangladesh
Japan International Cooperation Agency
Standard gauge railways in Bangladesh