The construction work of the underground metro project in the capital is scheduled to start in March 2022.

Construction of metro rail depot will start first. Then, underground rail line, station and other relevant infrastructure will be made gradually. Finally, passenger transportation would be started in 2026.

Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Company Limited managing director M A N Siddique made the assertion while addressing a virtual press conference on Thursday (June 17).

He said, first ever underground metro rail in Dhaka will be started through 12 packages. In the first package, tenders have been invited for the land development and relevant infrastructures.

The official also said that the 31.241 kilometers long MRT line-1 was divided in two routes — 19.72 km airport or underground route between Hazrat Shahjalal international airport and Kamalapur and 11.369 km long Purbachal route between Natunbazar and Pitalganj.

The estimated project cost of the project was Tk 52,561 crore, he added.