The much-anticipated extension of Metro Rail's MRT Line-6 from Motijheel to Kamalapur is expected to open for commercial operations in July next year.
The overall physical progress of civil construction work on the Motijheel-Kamalapur extension of MRT Line-6 has reached 84.85%, Project Director Brigadier General (Retd) Md Abdul Wohab told BSS on Saturday. Wohab is the project director of the Dhaka Mass Transit Development Project (MRT Line-6).
He stated that mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) works at Kamalapur station are currently underway, and that equipment manufactured abroad will be installed soon after it is brought into the country.
According to project details, electro-mechanical works on the extension have progressed by 58%. Additionally, construction of the 1.16-kilometre viaduct on the Motijheel-Kamalapur extension has been completed and handed over to Contract Package-7 (CP-07) for rail track installation.
Structural work on the Kamalapur MRT Station has been completed, while mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) as well as architectural works are currently underway. These remaining tasks are expected to be finished by December 31, 2026.
Meanwhile, work on seven integrated electro-mechanical subsystems under CP-07 is progressing. These subsystems include electrical and track systems, signaling, automatic fare collection (AFC), platform screen doors (PSD), telecommunications, and lifts and escalators.
The 21.26-kilometre MRT Line-6, extending from Uttara North to Kamalapur, is progressing towards completion. As of September 30, 2026, the physical progress of the Uttara North-Motijheel section stood at 99.67%, while civil construction work on the Motijheel-Kamalapur extension had reached 84.85%.
Once the final section becomes operational, MRT Line-6 will connect Uttara North (Diabari) directly to Kamalapur Railway Station, completing the full 21.26-kilometre route.
The line will have 17 stations, including major stops at Mirpur-10, Agargaon, Farmgate and Dhaka University.
The metro rail began operating on the Uttara–Agargaon section on December 28, 2022, while the Agargaon–Motijheel section subsequently opened on November 4, 2023. Since the opening of the Motijheel section, the metro rail has established itself as a vital transport link for Dhaka residents, serving thousands of commuters on a daily basis.
Under the current schedule, the first trains depart from Motijheel at 7:00 am and from Uttara North at 6:40 am.
According to project information, an average of more than 0.4 million passengers have travelled on the metro rail since its launch. Additionally, over 0.5 million passengers used the metro on September 10.
Revenue from ticket sales is also increasing as passenger numbers grow.
Why it matters
The Metro Rail extension will improve urban transport in Dhaka by linking the northern terminus directly to Kamalapur Railway Station, increasing capacity for hundreds of thousands of daily commuters.