It has been over two years since the launch of the Metro Rail in Dhaka, and the mass transit system is gradually becoming quite popular. During peak hours, however, overcrowding has led to many passengers being unable to board. Daily ridership has now surpassed four hundred thousand, which indicates the success of Bangladesh’s first metro rail system in meeting its target. But, challenges still remain, particularly in ticket and pass distribution, which have yet to be normalized.
Currently, passengers need to visit stations in person to recharge their permanent passes. This is a far cry from the convenience seen in many countries worldwide, where passengers can recharge their metro cards from the comfort of their homes.
According to officials managing the metro rail, if the supply of tickets is increased and trains run more frequently, the number of passengers would rise even further. Additionally, enabling remote recharging for permanent MRT (Mass Rapid Transit) passes would significantly reduce the passengers’ inconvenience.
Why Are Passengers Still Facing These Issues?
The delays in solving ticketing and recharge issues are attributed to bureaucratic hurdles. The Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTC), responsible for the construction and operation of the metro, and the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), responsible for the distribution of permanent MRT passes, are at odds. These two agencies have yet to resolve the issues, preventing a smooth ticketing process or easier recharging system even after two years.
Government officials have led DMTC for a long time, but recently, an international expert, Faruq Ahmed, has taken over the leadership. Despite that, one issue remains unresolved: the low frequency of trains. The lack of additional trains has been due to misconceptions about capacity and fears of running at a loss if trains are too crowded. However, the current congestion during peak hours, where passengers are unable to board, has not been adequately addressed. The new management is now planning to increase train frequency, starting with Friday afternoons, and potentially running trains throughout the day on Fridays.
The original plan for the metro system envisioned a full capacity operation with trains running every three and a half minutes. This would allow up to 60,000 passengers per hour and 500,000 daily commuters. If the expansion to Kamalapur is completed, daily ridership could reach 677,000.
Ticketing Complications
For passengers using the MRT or rapid pass, a 10% discount is offered. Currently, 55% of metro passengers use MRT cards, while 45% use single-journey tickets. Both types of cards, however, face supply shortages.
The Nippon Signal Company of Japan initially supplied single-journey cards (313,000) and MRT cards (728,000). But, most of the MRT cards have been sold out, and DMTC has been unable to procure new cards. The DTCA, which oversees the supply of rapid passes, has been facing challenges as well. The DTCA started the project in 2015 to allow one card to be used for all public transportation, called the “Rapid Pass,” but this pass is still only usable for the metro and has not yet been integrated with other transportation.
In the last six months, there has been a consistent shortage of these permanent cards. DMTC has received a few shipments of MRT cards from DTCA in batches, but these are selling out as soon as they arrive. Recently, only 1,500 cards were supplied, and nearly all of them were sold out. The process is slow, and it is unclear when more cards will be available.
Challenges with Recharge System
Currently, passengers can only recharge their MRT and rapid passes at stations, with a maximum recharge of 10,000 BDT for MRT cards and 1,000 BDT for Rapid Passes. For many passengers, this means long waits in line, sometimes taking up to half an hour, just to recharge their card.
Countries like India and Hong Kong allow passengers to use their bank debit or credit cards for metro travel, but such a system has not yet been implemented in Bangladesh. Passengers can pay bills like electricity, mobile phone, and internet charges via mobile payment platforms like bKash, Nagad, and Rocket from home, yet the same convenience is not available for metro pass recharges.
The DTCA has announced plans to enable online recharging of Rapid Passes through mobile apps like bKash, Rocket, and Nagad, as well as with NFC-enabled smartphones. However, full implementation of this system is still pending. While some efforts are being made to simplify the process, the lack of clear timelines for implementation and the need for passengers to visit stations for card activation remains a significant hurdle.
Looking Ahead
The primary focus of the authorities should be to increase the number of metro trains, simplify the ticket procurement process, and implement an online recharge system for MRT and Rapid Passes as soon as possible. Without these changes, Dhaka’s metro rail system may continue to fall short of providing the high-quality service that passengers expect, leaving commuters deprived of an international-standard transit experience.
