The arrival of the first ready metro rail from Japan remains uncertain for a shipment delay after completion of a factory trial run due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Sources said the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) earlier set a target to bring the train before June after shipment in the first week of April.
The shipment of the ready train for MRT (mass rapid transit) line-06 has been scrapped for the shipping agency's refusal to do so amid global lockdown.
According to a competent source, the shipping line is totally uncertain as to when it would start the job.
Even if the shipment starts amid lockdown, sources said, the DMTCL would not be able to carry the train to Dhaka for labour shortages at Mongla port.
They said the Kawasaki experts who were supposed to receive the train at the seaport would not be able to come to Bangladesh amid this COVID-19 outbreak.
The DMTCL posted a video of the factory run of the stainless train with six compartments on its Facebook page on March 18.
It was also reported to have the train put at the MRT line-06 depot in Uttara by June 15 for public display.
After successful trial run on the Kawasaki factory premises, sources said, the ship was also booked to start its journey from Kobe port on April 10.
Nobody is able to confirm the timing for shipment and setting the train at the Uttara depot.
Sources, however, said the DMTCL needs a fair amount of time as the compartments will have to be carried to the depot through waterway.
AS transportation of the 120-metre long train through road is not possible, the DMTCL has planned to bring it to the depot through waterway from Mongla port.
It was learnt that the country's road infrastructure, including Dhaka-Chattogram highway, has the turning capacity of materials up to 16-metre length.
But the length of each compartment of the ready train is 20 metres.
The DMTCL has a plan to carry the compartments separately on barges and unload them at Diabari point, close to the depot by building unloading facilities.
The implementer of the metro project entered into a $360-million contract with Kawasaki Heavy Industries and Mitsubishi in August 2017.
Under the deal, the Japanese firms are to supply 144 cars or 24 sets of rolling stock and depot maintenance equipment for the line that links Uttara with Motijheel.
The joint venture is supposed to complete the delivery of 24 sets of trains by 2021 with one train each month.
Each train which costs $12 million has the capacity to carry the highest 2,308 people.
