Lifeline: Dhaka Metro resumes service after more than 30 days, commuters heave sigh of relief
Dhaka (PTI): The Dhaka Metro resumed services on Sunday over a month after it was shut for passengers during the unprecedented anti-government protests in Bangladesh with two of its stations bearing the brunt of vandalism.
These two stations—Mirpur-10 and Kazipara—will however remain closed, according to an official notification.
Commuters, especially students and office-goers, heaved a sigh of relief as they had to travel through Dhaka’s notorious traffic congestions daily to reach their destinations.
According to the official notification, the services resumed in the morning around 7 am.
Mirpur-10 and Kazipara stations were vandalised in July during the anti-government protests. The Dhaka Metro services were shut for passengers in the third week of July and coupled with choc-a-bloc streets due to protests had nearly paralysed the public transportation system in the capital.
Many commuters who otherwise were using cab services or autorickshaws for travelling to university and other areas on Sunday used the metro after a gap of over five weeks.
Dhaka Metro, whose current network spans from Uttara North to Motijheel, is operated by the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL).
“We are planning to make the metro rail infrastructure a key point installation with enhanced security for its protection from any kind of vandalism,” Road Transport and Communication Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan said.
Khan said the interim government also plans to declare metro rail operations as an essential service to prevent any disruption in the service. He travelled between Agargon station and Bangladesh Secretariat station in the metro.
A Dhaka High Court official told PTI that he used the metro on Sunday to travel to his office, and the resumption of services has come as a big relief for daily commuters like him.
On December 28, 2022, Bangladesh launched its first metro rail service with Japanese assistance to ease commuting in the capital Dhaka, one of the most congested cities in the world.
Called Dhaka MRT Line 6, it initially operated on an 11.73-km section from Uttara North to Agargaon, consisting of nine stations. The then prime minister Sheikh Hasina had inaugurated the project.
In November 2023, the section from Agargaon to Motijheel having eight stations and spanning 9.53 km, was inaugurated by Hasina.
The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) is working on the Dhaka Metro project (three lines) as a consultant, with varying degrees of involvement, a senior official of the DMRC had earlier said.
Besides the presently operational Line 6, DMRC is involved as a consultant for Line 5 North and Line 1 in the Dhaka Metro project.
“About 10 DMRC employees were posted in Dhaka as part of the metro project there. They have all returned safely to India,” a senior official of the DMRC said in response to a PTI query.
A large number of Indian nationals have returned to India from Bangladesh since the protests began on July 1.
The unprecedented anti-government protests reached a crescendo on August 5. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina resigned and fled to India on that day, even as protesters had termed the fall of the government and her departure a “day of victory”.
Asked if the DMTCL has approached the DMRC to send consultants for the ongoing or planned construction works, the senior official said the DMRC officials are “extending the necessary cooperation as per the terms and conditions of our engagement”.
“However, any decision regarding the return of the employees will be taken as per the advisories issued by India’s Ministry of External Affairs,” he added.
Asked if the DMRC is remotely monitoring the project in the absence of physical presence of its employees and experts on the ground in Dhaka, the official said, “Yes, currently, the DMRC officials engaged with the Dhaka Metro project are extending the necessary cooperation through online mode.”
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Heavy rain, hailstorms lash parts of Uttarakhand; all districts put on high alert
Dehradun (PTI): Heavy rain and hailstorms accompanied by strong winds lashed several districts of Uttarakhand on Sunday morning, prompting the state administration to put all district authorities on high alert.
The sudden change in weather caused uprooted trees to block roads and disrupted power supply at various locations.
Disaster Management and Rehabilitation Secretary Vinod Kumar Suman chaired a review meeting with district officials to assess the situation.
The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast light to moderate rain and thunderstorms at most places across all districts for Monday and Tuesday. Snowfall is expected in regions situated at altitudes of 4,000 metres and above.
An 'orange alert' remains in place for Dehradun, Haridwar, Tehri, Pauri, Nainital, Champawat, and Udham Singh Nagar. These districts are likely to witness isolated heavy rain, hailstorms, and intense to very intense spells of rain accompanied by gusty winds reaching speeds of 40-50 kmph, the IMD said.
The weather office predicted that maximum temperatures across the state are likely to fall by 3-5 degrees Celsius over the next three to four days. During the past 24 hours, maximum temperatures remained "markedly below normal" in the plains and ranged from "markedly" to "appreciably" below normal in the hilly regions.
Dehradun experienced dark, overcast skies early Sunday, creating night-like conditions during morning hours. The city recorded a maximum temperature of 34.7 degrees Celsius, 5.3 degrees Celsius below the seasonal average.
For the state capital, the forecast predicts a partly to generally cloudy sky with a high of 31 degrees Celsius and a low of 19 degrees Celsius.
Significant rainfall was recorded across the state after 8.30 am on Sunday, with Jollygrant receiving 21.6 mm and Mohakampur recording 19.8 mm. Other areas, including Mukteshwar (15.0 mm), Mussoorie (13.4 mm), and Pithoragarh (8.5 mm), also saw measurable precipitation.
Secretary Suman directed officials to clear blocked roads on priority to ensure public convenience. Specific instructions were issued regarding the Char Dham Yatra, ordering that helicopter services must operate strictly according to weather conditions to ensure pilgrims' safety.
Isolated places in the remaining hilly districts are also expected to experience thunderstorms with lightning and intense rain spells.
