Country's first metro rail was operated in the capital on experimental basis on Friday (August 27).

On that day, the Metro Rail was operated from Uttara's Diabari Depot to Mirpur Pallabi Station at 10:00am.

A Metro Rail coach, comprising six compartments, was operated from Diabari to Pallabi Station on experimental basis. The  coach was operated from 6:00am to 10:00am. There were no problems to operate the coach.

Dhaka Metro Rail project manager ABM Arifur Rahman said the coach was operated on experimental basis. The coach was operated safely from the Depot to Pallabi Station.

"We have stopped at different stations, and examine everything so that we don't have to face any trouble on Sunday," he said.

ABM Arifur Rahman said another coach will be operated on Sunday (August 29) also on experimental basis.

The Metro Rail lines have been built with walls on both sides. So, the pedestrians could not see it. However, those who live in high rise buildings adjacent to the rail lines saw the movement of metro rail on the rail tracks.

Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL)  sources said passengers would not be allowed on board the Metro Rail coach since it is now being operated on experimental basis. The Metro Rail is likely to be operated from Uttara to Agargaon commercially after December 2022.

The country's first Metro Rail lines are being built from Uttara Diabari to Kamlapur Railway Station. At present, its construction work is going on from Diabari at Uttara to Bangladesh Bank at Motijheel. It will be extended up to Kamlapur Railway Station later on.

The latest report of the project shows that the country's first Metro Rail project has achieved 68.49 per cent progress in construction work till July 31. Some 16.566 kilometers, out of 20.10 kilometers of viaducts, have been erected. Construction of 17 Metro Rail Stations is going on. Installation of rail lines inside the Diabari Depot has been completed.

At the same time, electric wiring work is also at the final stage. Electric wiring stretching up to 15 kilometers has been completed. Some 15.50 kilometers of rail line have been installed on the viaducts. Four Metro train sets have already arrived at the depot at Uttara's Diabari. Nineteen types of different examinations of the train sets are going on. The coaches of Metro Rail will be operated by electricity.

Nine stations are being built for the movement of Metro Rail between Diabari of Uttara to Agargaon. Preparations are going on to operate trains on the viaducts within five stations.