The government has decided to go for the Japanese government's proposal on the city's Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line-2 under a public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement, not any other proposal, sources said.
They said an inter-ministerial meeting recently discussed the issue of receiving proposals from other countries, including India and China. The meeting then decided to go for the Japanese government's proposal.
The meeting said necessary steps for the MRT line-2 would be taken on the basis of the meeting at the Prime Minister's Office on May 30.
"There is no scope of considering proposals of other countries," according to a source.
Construction of the 40-kilometre MRT line-2 from Ashulia to Kamalapur through Savar, Gabtoli, Dhaka University and Nagar Bhaban has been proposed in the strategic transport plan along with four other MRT lines in the city.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges received several proposals for the MRT 2 from China. Recently it also received a proposal from the Bangladesh Army in support of Indian and Bangladesh companies.
Official sources said the inter-ministerial meeting also discussed the issue of conducting a feasibility study on the MRT 2 and decided to conduct a study on the government's own before proceeding with the Japanese government's proposal.
The meeting decided that necessary steps be taken by the PPP Authority to carry out pre-feasibility and detailed study and Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited and Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority be involved in the process of the study, project formulation and implementation.
smunima@yahoo.com