Dhaka BRT

The Dhaka BRT (Bengali: ঢাকা বিআরটি, romanised: Dhaka Bi-Ar-Ti) or Dhaka Line Bengali: ঢাকা লাইন, romanised: Dhaka Lain) is a bus rapid transit system in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Of two routes that were originally planned, only one section of a line is under construction from 2017, with the other route being in the planning phase.

Dhaka Bus Rapid Transit
Logo of Dhaka BRT
Overview
Native name	ঢাকা বিআরটি
Owner	Road Transport and Highways Division
Locale	Dhaka
Transit type	Bus rapid transit
Number of lines	2
Number of stations	40
Daily ridership	400,000 (estimated)
Headquarters	House 4, Road 21, Sector 4, Uttara, Dhaka
Website	dhakabrt.gov.bd
Operation
Operator(s)	Dhaka Bus Rapid Transit Company Limited
Number of vehicles	140
Technical
System length	41 km (25 mi)
Average speed	23 km/h

History

Planning

In 2005, the World Bank published a study report, recommending that the government of Bangladesh build a transit system in Dhaka. In the same year, American consultancy firm Louis Berger Group prepared a strategic transport plan for Dhaka.^[1] The World Bank helped to develop this plan, which proposed the construction of a bus rapid transit system in Dhaka.^[2][3] In 2011, a primary feasibility study was done for BRT by the Asian Development Bank.^[4] In 1 December 2012, the ECNEC approved the Dhaka bus rapid transit project.^[4] Two lines of bus rapid transit were proposed by the government for construction.^[5] The budget of BRT Line 3 was fixed at ৳2,040 crores.^[4]

Construction

 

Construction of a bus rapid transit station in House Building, Uttara

BRT Line 3 was supposed to be completed by 2016, but construction could not begin. Because of that, the government had to extend the period of construction. As the period increased, the construction budget increased by 52.20%.^[4] On 1 December 2016, the government appointed Gezhouba Group as the contractor for the construction of the northern section of BRT Line 3, which was expected to complete construction within two and a half years.^[6] On 19 October 2017, Bangladesh Bridge Authority signed an agreement with Jiangsu Provincial Transportation Engineering Group Co. Ltd.^[7] for the construction of bridges and flyovers under the BRT project. In 2019, the Road Transport and Highways Division created a detail engineering design for the southern section of BRT Line 3.^[8] The project deadline were then revised to 30 June 2020 and June 2022 respectively, but its construction could not be completed.^[9] On 6 November 2022, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said that the northern section of BRT Line 3 is likely to be commissioned in May or June 2023.^[10] According to December 2022, the construction of the northern section was 84.4% complete. Later, the deadline was revised to December 2024.^[11]

Opening

On 17 June 2023, Obaidul Quader informed that the bus rapid transit service would be launched in September or October of the same year.^[12]

Routes

BRT Line 3

BRT Line 3 has two sections. The northern section extends over 21 km from Gazipur to Jasimuddin Sarani, Uttara. 25 stations are being constructed in this section. The 22 km southern section will be from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Jhilmil Residential Area which will consist of 16 stations.^[5]

v t e BRT Line 3
Legend
Gazipur Terminal   BARI   Aarong Milk   BTRC Bus Depot   Joydebpur     Bhogra (north)   Bhogra (south)   Maleker Bari   Hajir Pukur   Board Bazar   Open University   Borobari   Targach   Gazipura   Hossain Market   Tongi College   Cherag Ali Market   Mill Gate   Station Road   Tongi Bridge   Abdullahpur   House Building   Azampur   Jasimuddin Square   Dhaka Airport    1

BRT Line 7

The proposed line will be constructed from Purbachal New Town to Narayanganj.^[5]

Criticisms

Due to the construction work of BRT, the vehicles plying on the route and the passengers have suffered severally.^[11] Damage to the Dhaka–Mymensingh highway for the construction of the BRT had an impact on the country's economy.^[13]

Initially it was decided to run articulated buses on the BRT route but later it was decided to use electric buses. Later the authority decided to run diesel buses instead.^[11]

On 15 August 2022, 5 people were killed when a girder of the project fell on a private vehicle at Jasimuddin Square, Uttara. As a result, Mayor Atiqul Islam announced the closure of BRT construction in the Dhaka North City Corporation area until all types of compliance certificates are received from the contractors.^[14] The government's investigative team held the contractors accountable for the accident.^[15] As a result, the two contractors were declared ineligible for upcoming construction projects except the BRT project.^[16]

References

1. Rahman, Shamim (23 December 2022). "পুরোটাই উড়ালপথে নির্মাণ ভারতের 'মেট্রো ম্যান' শ্রীধরনের পরামর্শে". Bonikbarta.net (in Bengali). from the original on 26 December 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
2. Zaman, Sheikh Shahriar (25 December 2022). "মেট্রোরেল ছিল বিরাট এক চ্যালেঞ্জ". Bangla Tribune (in Bengali). from the original on 25 December 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
3. Rahman, Shamim (24 December 2022). "মেট্রোরেলেও ছাপ রেখে গেছেন অধ্যাপক জামিলুর রেজা চৌধুরী". Bonikbarta.net (in Bengali). from the original on 27 December 2022. Retrieved 27 December 2022.
4. Hossain, Anowar (4 August 2021). "'BRT project becomes a burden as it proceeds at snail's pace, costs double'". Prothom Alo. from the original on 13 March 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
5. Abdullah, Matin (13 April 2018). "৪৬ মেগা প্রকল্প বাস্তবায়নে শঙ্কা". Jugantor (in Bengali). from the original on 13 March 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
6. "বিমানবন্দর টু গাজীপুর বাস র‍্যাপিড ট্রানজিট". Bangladesh Pratidin (in Bengali). 2 December 2016. from the original on 13 March 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
7. "Contract to construct elevated flyover, 10-lane bridge signed". New Age. 20 October 2017. from the original on 26 February 2020. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
8. "'BRT route transports 30,000 passengers in an hour'". The Independent. 28 January 2019. from the original on 13 March 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
9. "বিআরটির উত্তরা-টঙ্গী অংশ খুলছে আজ". Kaler Kantho (in Bengali). 6 November 2022. from the original on 18 November 2022. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
10. "Dhaka BRT to open fully for traffic in June next year: Quader". The Business Standard. 6 November 2022. from the original on 13 March 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
11. Adhikari, Tuhin Subhra (18 January 2023). "BRT line-3: Promises falling flat". The Daily Star. from the original on 13 March 2023. Retrieved 13 March 2023.
12. "সেপ্টেম্বর-অক্টোবর নাগাদ শেষ হবে বিআরটি প্রকল্প". Banglanews24.com (in Bengali). 17 June 2023. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
13. Mithu, Ariful Islam (21 January 2022). "Why BRT-3 fails, again and again, to hit the target". The Business Standard. from the original on 20 May 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
14. "দুর্ঘটনা: ঢাকা উত্তরে বিআরটির সব ধরণের নির্মাণকাজ বন্ধ ঘোষণা করেছেন মেয়র আতিকুল ইসলাম". BBC Bangla (in Bengali). 16 August 2022. from the original on 16 August 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
15. "Dhaka BRT girder tragedy: Probe body finds 12 reasons for the accident". Daily Sun. 4 September 2022. from the original on 4 September 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2023.
16. "BRT contractor won't get any more projects: Quader". Thefinancialexpress.com.bd. 17 October 2022. from the original on 17 October 2022. Retrieved 14 March 2023.