The Victory Day announcement that the Dhaka metro rail, formally called the MRT Line-6, is set to start rolling from December 28 makes the route's would-be travellers feel elated. It's the 11.7-kilomrtre Uttara-Agargaon segment, out of the total 20.1 km Uttara-Motijheel route. The Uttara-Agargaon segment is set to open as part of the elevated metro rail's formal inauguration. After opening this phase of the route, the authorities concerned are set to deal with nine stations. Countdown to the opening of the Agargon segment has boded well as expected. The authorities, now in their final stage before blowing the whistle, are busy giving the finishing touches to their work. The maneuverability of the viaducts, the tracks, the stairs to and coming down the stations, the comfort in the use of the other facilities inside had given great worries to the metro's technical supervisors. In the last few months, the traffic department had been busy testing the railway tracks' foolproof strength in bearing mobility and speed, the entries and exits of the railway engines and carriages in short gaps --- among others.
With the challenging phase of preparing the Uttara-Agargaon railway segment over, in order to turn to the specific speed on the elevated tracks, the would-be passengers now ought to be metro-friendly. It would be sheer exercise in futility if the passengers cannot pick up the technical know-how adequately, and fall into awkward situations. It has been heartening to see the metro authorities trying their best to demonstrate the techniques of boarding and getting down from a metro rail. The essential parts of the exercises were shown on the individual Facebook pages. But a large section of the social media users, who have also travelled by both the elevated metros and subways feel differently. As they feel, it takes a time longer than believed to make the first-timers acquainted with the other-railway. Even the seasoned metro and subway travellers are found being wont to falling victims to pratfalls while boarding a train or getting down from it.
Despite the disciplined manner in which passengers are found entering a carriage without noise, many in these developed countries are averse to the metros and subways. They say they dread these journeys. Some say they find it difficult to getting used to board a train just after one has left the station. They understand they'll never miss a train. Another will reach the station soon. They say they feel greatly confused and perplexed --- and that what they'll miss is the breathing space. Others say they have a fear for 'abnormal' speed or they dread something running from one place to another at high altitude. Most of the Dhaka metro rail travellers hope the number of the above people would be few and far between. But people avoiding subway due to their claustrophobic state are still found in many countries, especially in the West.
However, it's a proven fact that people in the developed ancient cities no longer see people with subway or elevated-rail sickness. After popularising these modes of rail journeys for over a century, the authorities have been sufficiently able to make their urban people friendly to subways, metro rails, ropeways, cable cars etc. The demand of the Bangladesh authorities on the passengers is humble: Skilfully inserting tickets into the specific slots, entering the platform, remaining attentive to the public speakers announcing arrival and departure of the trains. They should know the trains arrive and depart the stations every 10 minutes. People await eagerly the winning for Dhaka the sobriquet of a metro-savvy city.
shihabskr@ymail.com