Dhaka Metro Extends Hours to Ease Rush
Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) is preparing to extend metro rail service hours both in the morning and at night by half an hour to accommodate growing passenger demand. Under the company’s initial plan, trains will soon run until 10:30 pm at night, while morning operations will start at 7:00 am. In addition, during peak hours, train intervals will be further reduced, with commuters able to board trains every four minutes and fifteen seconds.
The information was confirmed by DMTCL sources on Monday, September 22. At least three officials of the company, requesting anonymity, verified the outline of the new schedule but noted that no specific date for its implementation has yet been finalized. DMTCL will announce the revised schedule formally in due course.
According to the proposed plan, the first train from Uttara will depart at 6:40 am, with the last leaving at 9:30 pm. From Motijheel, the first train will set off at 7:00 am and the final one at 10:10 pm. On Fridays, operations that currently begin at 3:00 pm are expected to start at 2:30 pm under the new schedule, with evening services also extended by half an hour.
DMTCL sources stated that daily ridership currently averages 420,000 passengers. With the new schedule, the number is expected to exceed 500,000. The metro project initially projected carrying half a million passengers per day on the Uttara-Motijheel route. At present, 13 pairs of trains operate on this line, though 24 pairs are available. Once the new schedule is in effect, and headways between trains are reduced, the number of active pairs is expected to rise to nearly 20.
