Diabari Depot (Bengali: দিয়াবাড়ি ডিপো), officially Uttara Depot (Bengali: উত্তরা ডিপো), is a railway depot of the Dhaka Metro Rail's MRT Line 6, located before Uttara North station in northern Dhaka. It is the first depot on the metro lines of Dhaka, having been built in 2022, when the MRT Line 6 was under construction.
 Entrance of the depot area | |
 | |
| Location | |
|---|---|
| Location | Diabari, Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| Coordinates | 23°52′41″N 90°21′21″E / 23.8780112°N 90.3558237°E |
| Characteristics | |
| Owner | Road Transport and Highways Division |
| Operator | Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited |
| Type | At-Grade |
| Roads | Sonargaon Janapath, Mirpur Road |
| Rolling stock | Kawasaki Railcar Manufacturing |
| Routes served | MRT Line 6 |
| History | |
| Opened | June 2022 |
History
editOn 27 March 2016, DMTCL signed an agreement with Tokyu Construction Ltd for the development of the line's depot.[1] The depot is planned to be built on 59 acres of land in the third phase of the Uttara Satellite Town project. As the 30 acres of the depot area is soft, the 8 adjacent buildings were at risk from the tremors generated during construction of the depot structure using sand conception piling, which the Japan International Cooperation Agency promised to compensate if damaged.[2] In September 2016, works related to the construction of the line's depot at Diabari were started.[3] Construction of the structures of the depot was entrusted to Italian-Thai Development and Sinohydro in 2017.[4] Construction of the structures of the depot began on 13 September 2017. Land development work of the depot was completed on 31 January 2018.[5] The administrative building at the depot was complete in 2021.[6] Its construction was complete in June 2022.[7]
Layout
editThe depot area also has 52 structures including workshops, washing sheds and storage. The depot can accommodate 18 trains, which have to go north from Uttara North metro station through a 300 metres long workshop to reach the depot.[8] The depot has an operation control center from where trains can be controlled by communicating with the train driver using radio antennas mounted on the line under the direction of the controller.[9] The depot area has been greened by planting trees.[10]
Metro Rail Exhibition and Information Center
edit
It was known that an exhibition and information center was designed by Japan International Cooperation Agency to be set up so that people could experience the metro services. Its main purpose was to preserve the memory of died Japanese officials worked for the MRT Line 6 during July 2016 Dhaka attack. By September 2019, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited chose the site for the proposed center beside the depot entrance.[11] In February 2020, A sample train for the center arrived in Dhaka. It was supposed to open in March 2020.[12] Later the date was changed to January 2022.[13] On 24 July 2022, a memorial plaque placed on the center in memory of seven Japanese official of MRT Line 6 construction project died in July 2016 Dhaka attack was inaugurated by Road Transport and Bridge minister Obaidul Quader. In August 2022, it was reported that the Metro Rail Exhibition and Information Centre may be opened for public in September 2022.[14] Then it was opened on 6 September 2022.[15]
Controversy
editOn 1 March 2024, DMTCL invited tenders for the appointment of operators to run the 7,580 sqare feet staff canteen at the depot. In March, the company issued a tender notice to Khandkar Enterprises for an annual rent of ৳12,000.[16] The news of the tender issue drew criticism. However, according to M.A.N. Siddique, DMTCL Managing Director, as no interested contractor was found in September 2023, the finalized contractor has been appointed in charge of the canteen at a lower price in this year's open tender.[17] Later, when a writ was filed in the High Court challenging the validity of this decision, ABM Amin Ullah Nuri, the concerned secretary, was directed to submit the inquiry report to the court within one month.[18] The inquiry report submitted in June noted that the staff canteen is non-commercial and its fare is justified considering its customers.[19]
References
edit- ^ "Deal struck for part of metro rail project". The Daily Star. 27 March 2016. Archived from the original on 8 September 2023. Retrieved 8 September 2023.
- ^ "মেট্রোরেলের ডিপো নির্মাণে ঝুঁকিতে আট স্থাপনা". Bdnews24.com (in Bengali). 11 January 2016. Archived from the original on 13 January 2016. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
- ^ Ferdous, Farhan (30 December 2022). মেট্রোরেল নির্মাণে দেশীয় একমাত্র প্রতিষ্ঠান আব্দুল মোনেম. Newsbangla24.com (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 16 May 2023. Retrieved 16 May 2023.
- ^ "মেট্রোরেলের পথ, স্টেশন, ডিপোর অবকাঠামো নির্মাণে চুক্তি সই". Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 4 May 2017. Archived from the original on 24 November 2024. Retrieved 2 October 2024.
- ^ "মেট্রোরেল নির্মাণে সাত ঠিকাদারি প্রতিষ্ঠান" [Seven contracting companies in construction of Metro Rail]. Bonik Barta (in Bengali). 28 December 2022. Archived from the original on 28 December 2022. Retrieved 3 October 2024.
- ^ Huda, Nazmul (16 October 2024). "মেট্রোরেলের সাবেক এমডি'র আয়েশে গচ্চা সাড়ে সাত কোটি". Manab Zamin (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 6 November 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
- ^ Islam, Jahidul (7 July 2022). "Uttara-Agargaon Metro Rail work nears completion". The Business Standard. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 2 July 2023.
- ^ "Metro rail depot nears completion". The Business Standard. 17 February 2021. Archived from the original on 27 January 2022. Retrieved 19 June 2023.
- ^ Hossain, Anwar (24 December 2022). প্রযুক্তির চমক মেট্রোরেলে. Prothom Alo (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 25 December 2022. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
- ^ Mithu, Ariful Islam (27 December 2022). "মেট্রো রেল ডিপো ও বিভাজকে সবুজায়নের পরিকল্পনা". The Business Standard (in Bengali). Retrieved 1 October 2024.
- ^ Sadiq, Mafizul (9 September 2019). "মেট্রোরেল ৬ কিমি দৃশ্যমান, হচ্ছে প্রদর্শনী সেন্টার". Banglanews24.com (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 5 December 2019. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
- ^ মেট্রোরেলের প্রথম নমুনা কোচ ঢাকায় [First sample coach of Metro Rail in Dhaka]. Dhaka Times (in Bengali). 17 February 2020. Archived from the original on 15 August 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
- ^ "Metro rail exhibition, info centre to open in January". The Daily Star. 17 November 2021. Archived from the original on 24 November 2021. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
- ^ "সেপ্টেম্বরে খুলতে পারে মেট্রোরেলের প্রদর্শনী ও তথ্যকেন্দ্র". Bangla Tribune (in Bengali). 2 August 2022. Archived from the original on 23 September 2022. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
- ^ "Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader along with others offers a munajat after inaugurating Metro Rail Exhibition and Information Centre at Diabari in the capital on Tuesday. Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh ITO Naoki was present. —SUN PHOTO". Daily Sun. 7 September 2022. Archived from the original on 3 July 2023. Retrieved 18 June 2023.
- ^ "সাড়ে ৭ হাজার বর্গফুট স্টাফ ক্যান্টিন ১ হাজার টাকায় ভাড়া দিয়েছে ডিএমটিসিএল". Bangla Tribune (in Bengali). 16 March 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
- ^ "সাড়ে ৭ হাজার বর্গফুটের ক্যানটিনের ভাড়া মাত্র ১ হাজার টাকা, যা বললেন মেট্রোরেল ব্যবস্থাপক". Ajker Patrika (in Bengali). 17 March 2024. Archived from the original on 24 November 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
- ^ "১ হাজার টাকায় মেট্রোরেলের ৭৫৮০ বর্গফুট ক্যান্টিন ভাড়া, অনুসন্ধানের নির্দেশ হাইকোর্টের". The Daily Star (in Bengali). 21 March 2024. Archived from the original on 18 April 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.
- ^ "'সৌজন্য ভাড়া' হিসাবে মাসিক ১ হাজার টাকা অযৌক্তিক নয়: তদন্ত কমিটি". Prothom Alo (in Bengali). 10 June 2024. Archived from the original on 3 September 2024. Retrieved 1 October 2024.