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Twenty-seven bearing pads on the Uttara-Motijheel metro rail route have been identified as defective, while cracks of varying degrees have been detected in 46 piers, Road Transport, Railways and Bridges Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam told Parliament on Wednesday.
He disclosed the information in response to a question from Cumilla-9 MP Abul Kalam during the question-answer session for ministers and state ministers.
According to the MP’s question, an independent safety audit found 730 bearing pads, or 23.28 percent of the total, to be defective. Cracks were also detected in 46 piers.
In his reply, Sheikh Robiul Alam said all 730 bearing pads could not be considered defective.
“Of the 730 bearing pads, defects in 147 were classified as less serious, while problems involving 297 were mainly related to installation and workmanship. Only 27 bearing pads have been identified as defective,” he said.
The minister also said the independent safety audit committee detected cracks of varying degrees in 46 piers.
Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd (DMTCL) formed a committee on July 16 to implement the recommendations of the safety audit report, he said.
Steel brackets have been installed at 10 locations considered at risk of bearing-pad displacement, while settlement markers have been installed at 27 locations to measure settlement, he added.
The government has set a target to replace the 27 defective bearing pads by November 30.
The process is underway to appoint Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) as an infrastructure consultant to assess the risks posed by cracks in the 46 piers and determine repair strategies. Structural crack gauges are also being installed at 102 locations to measure and monitor cracks, with the work targeted for completion by October 31.
Waterproofing work is also underway in rooms adjacent to substations at all metro rail stations. The minister said a live test of the emergency service system for passenger rescue and coordination with control rooms during power outages had also been successfully completed.
ACC Probe into Karnaphuli Tunnel Project
In response to a question from Chattogram-13 MP Sarwar Jamal Nizam, Sheikh Robiul Alam said Tk10,255.29 crore had been spent on the Karnaphuli Tunnel project.
He said various questions had been raised over the construction and implementation of the project and that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) was investigating the matter.
The minister said investment opportunities identified around the tunnel had not been realised on time for various reasons. The current government, he added, was taking initiatives to create new opportunities for industrialisation and investment around the tunnel.
100 More Electric Buses for Women
In reply to a question from reserved-seat MP Shaukat Ara Akter, the road transport minister said 14 women-only buses, commonly known as pink buses, are currently operating on 13 routes in Dhaka, Bogura and Chattogram.
He said the government was working to import another 100 electric vehicles to expand the service across the country.
In response to another question, the minister said Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) currently has 1,298 buses, of which 1,172 are operational and 126 are out of service. It also has 525 trucks, including 494 operational ones.
Battery-Run Rickshaws Banned on National, Regional Highways
Replying to a question from reserved-seat MP Nilofer Chowdhury Moni, Sheikh Robiul Alam said battery-powered rickshaws are classified as non-motorised vehicles under the Road Transport Act.
Their operation on national and regional highways is completely prohibited under the law, he said, adding that mobile courts were being conducted to stop their operation on roads and highways.
Govt Plans to Bring All Districts Under Rail Network
In response to a question from Cox’s Bazar-3 MP Lutfur Rahman, the railway minister said the country currently has 3,428 kilometres of railway routes and 4,828 kilometres of tracks.
He said the government plans to gradually bring all districts under the railway network in line with its election manifesto and the Bangladesh Railway master plan.
In reply to a question from reserved-seat MP Shamsunnahar Begum, the minister said the government plans to procure 200 broad-gauge passenger coaches to make railway services modern, safe and passenger-friendly.
The first batch of 19 coaches is expected to arrive this month, he said. A development project proposal is also being prepared to procure another 200 metre-gauge coaches.
60% Shortfall in Woven Fabric
In response to a question from Chuadanga-2 MP Ruhul Amin, Textiles and Jute Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir said the country’s annual demand for textiles was around 8 billion metres.
Of this, demand for knit fabric was 4 billion metres and woven fabric another 4 billion metres.
The country has a shortage of around 10 percent in knit fabric, while the shortfall in woven fabric stands at 60 percent, he said.
In response to another question from Bagerhat-4 MP Abdul Alim, the minister said there are currently 266 jute mills in the country, both public and private, of which 193 are operational.
27,182 Cases of Violence Against Women, Children Pending
In reply to a question from reserved-seat MP Nilofer Chowdhury Moni, Women and Children Affairs Minister Abu Zafar Md Zahid Hossain said 27,182 cases related to violence against women and children are currently pending before the courts.
