The government has approved procurement proposals worth nearly Tk46,000 crore for construction of underground and elevated sections, stations, depots, tracks and electrical and signalling systems under Dhaka Metro Rail’s Line-1 and Line-5 projects.
The approvals, covering eight major packages, were given at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase chaired by Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury at the Secretariat on Thursday.
Five proposals were approved, while three others were recommended for approval, according to the meeting decision.
The largest components involve Metro Rail Line-1, including the construction of a 5.182-kilometre underground section between the northern end of Nadda Station and the Airport Station.
The package will include two tunnels and three underground stations—Airport, Airport Terminal-3 and Khilkhet—along with a shaft for launching the tunnel boring machine.
The estimated cost of the package is Tk11,590.58 crore, including VAT and taxes. A Japanese joint venture of Nishimatsu, TPL and Toda has been recommended for the work. Its bid was 32.05% above the official estimate, excluding VAT and taxes.
Another major Line-1 package, CP-09, covers track construction and the power supply and distribution system.
The package includes tracks, turnouts, points and crossings, as well as 132kV feeders, receiving and auxiliary substations, electricity distribution networks and the 1,500-volt overhead power supply system.
The cost has been estimated at Tk11,065.58 crore, including VAT and taxes. India’s Larsen & Toubro and Sumitomo joint venture has been recommended for the contract, with its bid 49.92% above the official estimate, excluding VAT and taxes.
The government has also approved the CP-10 package for signalling, telecommunications, platform screen doors and asset management systems.
The package, costing Tk6,446.65 crore, will introduce communications-based automatic train control, an optical-fibre transmission network and LTE-based wireless communications.
Larsen & Toubro has been recommended as the lowest bidder, although its bid was 50.89% above the official estimate, excluding VAT and taxes.
Line-5 to get 6.5km elevated section
Under Line-5, the CP-03 package will construct 6.5 kilometres of elevated railway—about 5.6km from Hemayetpur to Aminbazar and another 0.9km from after Natun Bazar to Bhatara.
Five elevated stations will also be built at Hemayetpur, Baliarpur, Bilamalia, Aminbazar and Bhatara.
The package carries a cost of Tk2,670.99 crore, including VAT and taxes. A Chinese joint venture of CREC, MIL and MBECL has been recommended for the work, with its bid just 0.69% above the official estimate.
Three further packages have been recommended for approval.
The biggest is Line-1’s CP-04, covering the main line and stations from the northern end of Rampura Station to Natun Bazar. Its contract value is Tk18,037.26 crore, with Japan’s Tokyu-MIL joint venture recommended as the bidder.
Line-1 CP-07, covering a 5.007-kilometre main line and stations from the transition point to the start of the Balu River, has a contract value of Tk2,534.09 crore.
For Line-5’s northern route, CP-02 covers depot civil and building works, with a contract value of Tk1,847.52 crore.
Projects to run until 2033
The first revisions of both Line-1 and Line-5 projects were approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on 16 September.
The projects are scheduled to run from 1 September 2019 to 31 December 2033.
The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) is implementing the projects, jointly financed by the Bangladesh government and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).