Dhaka, Sep 22 (V7N) – Passenger pressure on the capital’s metro rail is climbing steadily, with an average of 3.5 to 4 lakh commuters using the service daily — even more on special occasions. To cope with the growing demand, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) has announced plans to extend operating hours and increase the number of trips.

Under the new plan, metro services will start earlier in the morning and continue beyond 10:00 pm, extending both opening and closing times by half an hour. On Fridays, trains will begin operating at 2:30 pm instead of 3:00 pm, with service also running later into the night.

Currently, the Uttara–Motijheel route operates around 200 trips per day. DMTCL plans to add 10 more trips, enabling an additional 23,000 passengers to be carried daily.

Although the metro was originally designed for eight coaches, trains are still running with six. Officials cite the absence of Platform Screen Doors (PSD), the need for extra funding, and concerns over power supply capacity as reasons for the delay in expanding coach numbers.

Once implemented, the new schedule will see trains run at a minimum interval of 4 minutes 15 seconds during peak hours. Off-peak intervals of 8–10 minutes will also be shortened by two minutes.

Transport experts warn that more trips will significantly increase electricity consumption and operating costs. They stress the importance of adding coaches quickly to ensure long-term relief for commuters.

Bangladesh’s first metro rail service launched on December 28, 2022, initially connecting Uttara to Agargaon. Operations gradually expanded, and by the end of 2023, passengers could travel up to Motijheel. Work is now underway to extend the service to Kamalapur.

END/SMA/AJ