Project Overview

An efficient transportation system with good inter and intra city linkages is essential to ensure Dhaka’s position as a functional city with population of more than 15.9 million. Present transport system in the city is chaotic in terms of traffic congestion, pollution, accident, inefficient travel time. A huge number of modes of motorized and non- motorized traffic are observed everywhere on roads. The number of automobiles has steadily increased for the last decades. The city needs to provide efficient public transport infrastructure to address the growing population, vehicles and economic activities. Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) network in Dhaka has been proposed as critical measures to mitigate the serious traffic congestion and improve economic efficiency in the area. Strategic Transport Plan (STP) was formulated by the Dhaka Transport Coordination Board (DTCB) under the technical assistance by the World Bank in 2005; STP emphasized necessity of a modern, clean, efficient system which will create a high level of service covering the whole metropolitan area and reaching out to the new communities in an integrated manner. Based on the STP study, Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) conducted Dhaka Urban Transport Network Development Project (DHUTS) in 2010 and the Revised Strategic Transport Plan (RSTP) in 2015. The concept of urban transport development under RSTP is to set up satellite regional centers to reduce the population density in central business district (CBD) and to connect CBD with the satellite cities by MRT and/or Bus Rapid Transit (BRT). RSTP proposed 5 MRT lines and 2 BRT lines as shown below. RSTP was approved as an official transport plan in August 2016 by Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges. In line with RSTP, JICA has conducted preparatory studies (feasibility studies [FS]) for three MRT lines in Dhaka: MRT Line 1, Line 5 (North) and Line 6. JICA is currently supporting construction of Line 6, and engineering designs for Line 1 and Line 5 (North) through ODA loans.

The total length of the Project is about 17.4 km between Gabtoli station and Dasherkandi station with an underground section of about 12.8 km and an elevated section of about 4.6 km with 12 underground and 4 elevated stations; a depot accommodating rolling stocks and operational facilities for Line 5 (South) is planned near the east end of the Project at Dasherkandi station area. Line 5 (South) will be connected with Line 5 (North) at Gabtoli station, both of which will serve as east-west corridors and make it possible to transfer with north-south running MRTs/BRTs at several stations. Through-services between the two lines of North and South of Line 5 may be considered for the extension section of Line 5 (North). There will be 15 stations (including future stations at the east end but excluding Gabtoli station) to be constructed under the Project, 11 of which will be underground stations.

Our Role

SMEC, with our local subsidiary ACE Consultants is providing consultancy services for Feasibility Study, Engineering Design, and Procurement Support for Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project (Line 5, Southern Route). Responsibilities include:

• To prepare detailed feasibility study with Engineering Design Framework (EDF) by (i) reviewing the pre-FS of the Project including the proposed technical and operational parameters and design standards  and further reviewing  the alignment;  (ii) making supplementary surveys such as topographic and geotechnical; (iii) conducting required social and environmental surveys in accordance with ADB Safeguard Policy Statement (SPS) (2009); (iv) develop conceptual design; (v) review cost estimates and relevant project evaluation, and (vi) develop EDF with design parameters to satisfy requirements for the project.
• To develop Engineering Design packages based on the EDF that will meet all requirements by DMTCL for the Project functions, performance, quality, and cost control. Detailed engineering design shall be developed for civil works of elevated, underground, stations, and depot; meanwhile, basic design shall be developed for the other components of equipment such as rolling stock, signaling and communication, and power supply.
• To provide procurement support including (i) preparation for bidding documents of the Engineering Design packages for (i) for civil works based on ADB’s standard bidding document (SBD) for works, and (ii) DSI for rolling stocks and system contracts based on ADB’s SBD for design, supply, and installation, by providing high-quality basic design, technical standards, specifications, and particular conditions of contracts; and (ii) assistance in advertising, issuing bidding documents, responding to queries, receiving and evaluating bids, and other procurement-related activities.
• To review management, operational and maintenance requirements for the Project, and prepare institutional arrangement and countermeasures required for efficient operation of the Project.