The metro rail company has introduced a screw-based piling system to speed up the construction work of the first mass rapid transit line in the city's busy corridor from Agargaon to Motijheel.
The construction work of MRT-6 from Uttara 3rd phase to Agargaon was, however, carried out under the conventional bored pile system.
The first Steel Screw Pile Driving was launched at Farmgate point in the presence of Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Monday.
Officials said screw piling is likely to help speed up all 244 pilings at six stations from Agargaon to Motijheel by occupying a minimum space under package-5 and 6.
Speaking on the occasion, Obaidul Quader, also secretary general of the ruling Awami League, said the screw pile technology has been introduced to reduce public suffering and ensure standard of the foundation piling.
Managing Director of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited MAN Siddique told the FE that the screw pile system has several advantages over the traditional system.
These advantages include high-bearing capacity, no influence of surrounding structures, minimum working space, low noise and vibration, no contamination of soil and groundwater, no waste soil generation, minimum construction equipment and manpower, improved quality assurance in pile foundation and saving time for pile foundation construction.
DMTCL is implementing the Tk 219.85-billion MRT-6 project to launch first mass transit service from Uttara to Motijheel by 2024.
The state-owned MRT company on April 30 signed a Tk 18.55 billion contract with Takken Corporation, Abdul Monem Ltd and Abenikko JV to construct elevated structure from Agargaon to Karwan Bazar under package-5.
Sumitomo Mitsui Construction Co Ltd is now constructing elevated structure under package-6 from Karwan Bazar to Motijheel under the Tk 23.32 billion contract.
Italian-Thai Development Company Ltd is the contractor of package-4 and 5 under which elevated structure is being constructed from Uttara 3rd phase to Agargaon. The total length of the corridor is 20.1 kilometres under which 16 stations will be set up.
The minister told journalists that overall progress of the project is 21.5 per cent. Thirty-five per cent of the first phase of MRT-6 has already been completed.
He said the first phase from Uttara to Agargaon will be completed by December this year and the rest from Agargaon to Motijheel by December next year.
Manufacturing of metro rail bogies began in Japan on February 16 after finalising all kinds of designs and systems.
