DHAKA: The metro rail service from Uttara to Motijheel is scheduled for a significant extension in operational hours this December, aiming to provide enhanced commuting facilities for the citizens of Dhaka. Currently operational from 7 am to 11 am, the proposed changes aim to extend the service hours until 8 pm along the Uttara-Motijheel route. Additionally, holders of MRT and Rapid Passes will benefit from an extra 30 minutes, allowing them to commute until 8:30 pm.
Mohammad Abdur Rauf, the Joint Secretary and Company Secretary of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited, mentioned that discussions are ongoing to extend the operational hours. He expressed the target of opening the remaining stations by December, ensuring a fully operational metro rail section from Uttara to Motijheel by the new year, aiming to provide greater comfort to the capital’s commuters.
Rauf highlighted the commitment to extend the operating hours further if the metro rail becomes fully operational, emphasizing the goal to extend the service until 8 pm for all passengers, with an extended allowance until 8:30 pm for pass holders. He further explained that while an exact date for the extension remains undecided, efforts are underway to complete all pending work by December. The anticipated full operation till Motijheel is expected by the end of December or early January.
Currently, out of the 16 metro rail stations from Uttara North to Motijheel, 12 stations have been commissioned, with four stations awaiting opening. The metro rail operates from Uttara to Motijheel from 7 am to 11 am and from Uttara to Agargaon from 7 am to 8:30 pm, with its weekly off day being Friday. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the metro rail section from Uttara to Agargaon on December 28, 2022, and subsequently inaugurated the Agargaon to Motijheel section on November 4.
