Metro rail creates much enthusiasm among commuters

Hundreds of commuters were seen waiting with enthusiasm in queues to take a ride on the country's ever first metro rail as the service was opened to the public today, a day after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the MRT Line-6 on Wednesday.

The metro rail service has already ignited hope among city dwellers that it would emerge as a blessing for them, easing traffic congestion in one of the world's most densely populated and crammed cities.

"I have come to be a witness of the history by travelling the metro rail, a day after the Prime Minister inaugurated the service . . . I hope that it will lessen the long sufferings of the city dwellers," National Teachers' Training College teacher Mujibur Rahman, who was waiting to get on the metro rail at Uttara North Station here, told reporters.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has done just an amazing task by taking the initiative of launching the metro rail service to give the city residents relief from the acute traffic jam, he said, adding, "We are grateful to the Prime Minister".

Fatema Sheikh, the headmaster of Diabari Model High School, said that she along with her family members came to travel on the metro rail on the first day of its opening for the public to gather a new experience of travelling the country's first metro service.

"We witnessed a huge crowd at the stations. We are, however, very much happy to travel on the metro rail, thanks to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina," she said.

A train from the Uttara North Station of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line-6 left at 8 am for Agargaon as the service has been partially opened to traffic from Uttara to Agargaon, which is expected to be launched up to Motijheel by December next year.

Initially, the metro train will run from 8 am to 12 noon every day from Uttara to Agargaon stations without any stoppage.

To experience the country's first metro rail service, a large number of people from all walks of life, especially the youths thronged the Uttara North Station since dawn and they were seen expressing joy along with breathing a sigh of relief.

Many people were seen taking selfies keeping the metro rail and its other installations in the background.

"It was beyond our imagination that we could travel on metro rail in the capital mostly known as the city of acute traffic jams," Payel, a student residing in Uttara, said with a smiling face.

This is definitely a new era for the entire nation of this Bangla, she added.

Controller of Uttara North Station Central Control Room Md Farhad said a total of five trains were operated on a circular basis from Uttara to Agargaon stations between 8 am and 12 noon.

Each train took 10 minutes and 11 seconds to reach Agargaon from Uttara and vice versa, he said, adding that Taka 60 has been fixed as a fare between the stations.

Bangladesh Rover Scouts Member Mohammad Riaz Hossain Shaon said 18 rover scouts members, including three women, discharged their duties at the Uttara Metro Rail Depot while another 18 members were deployed at Agargaon depot today.

Dhaka District Rover Commissioner Mohammad Shahidul Islam led the rover scouts teams.

Officer-in-charge of Turag Police Station of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Md Maudut Hawlader said a total of 15 police personnel, including a sub-inspector and an assistant sub-inspector, were deployed in the metro rail area in Uttara to maintain the law and order.

Noting that the law enforcement agency members are working relentlessly to maintain the law and order, he said there was no security problem in the area today.