Why Dhaka metro keeps facing glitches?

Anwar Hossain Hiru, a marketing manager, faced a dilemma yesterday as he headed to a crucial business meeting scheduled for 9:30am in the capital's Motijheel.

Amid rains from Cyclone Remal impacts, he opted for the metro rail over his bike. However, to his dismay, the metro services were halted due to a technical glitch, leaving him with no choice but to find alternative means to reach his destination on time.

"I arrived at the Shewrapara station with ample time, only to find out that the metro rail had stopped due to a technical issue," Anwar told The Business Standard, highlighting the inconvenience faced by many commuters reliant on the metro.

Similarly, Azmin Hoque, among the 250,000 daily metro users, experienced a lengthy wait at Farmgate station. "I aimed to reach my workplace by 9:30am and arrived at 7:30am to beat the rush. However, it's nearing 10am now, and the metro is nowhere in sight," lamented Azmin, reflecting the shared frustrations of many.

Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) Public Relations Officer Nazmul Islam Bhuiyan acknowledged the power supply issue in the catenary line, with efforts made to mitigate passenger inconvenience by operating a few trains on a single line. 

Yesterday's suspension of operations, lasting from 7:30am to 11am, is just the latest in a series of disruptions.

Just two days ago, there was a 1.5-hour suspension due to a technical glitch, and similar incidents occurred in January and February this year, leaving passengers stranded mid-journey. Mechanical malfunctions have also been a recurring issue this year.

A kite stuck in an electric pole caused disruptions last February, and the Overhead Catenary System halted services for a couple of hours in August.

Last year, disruptions included a cloth falling onto a power line, which caused service to be halted, as well as vandalism, such as someone throwing stones and breaking train windows.

Additionally, the metro rail faced shutdowns, like on 22 December 2022, a day after its launch, due to technical problems. These reliability issues are damaging the metro rail's credibility, making people increasingly hesitant to rely on it.

Sharmi Badhon, a regular commuter, shared her frustration: "I live in Mirpur 12 and work in Motijheel. My office starts at 9am, so I leave home an hour earlier. It only takes about 10 minutes to reach the station from home. I rely on catching the train and usually arrive at the office just in time every day.

"However, with these glitches in the metro rail, we're encountering issues, and it's making us lose confidence in the metro rail."

Jahid Hossain, a private service holder, expressed his concern, "When you look at the sky, you can predict the weather and make your plans accordingly. But with the metro, it's just unpredictable."

Shanta Rahman, a teacher who relies on the metro daily, suggested improvements: "We know that new technologies can have issues, but there should be a way to inform people when the metro isn't running. They could post updates on Facebook or display notices somewhere. This is Digital Bangladesh, after all."

DMTCL Managing Director MAN Siddique said that this issue is not unique to our country, as other nations with metro rail systems encounter similar challenges. He pointed out that glitches can arise from unstable electricity supply, leading to automatic shutdowns for safety reasons.

Siddique highlighted that efforts are underway to stabilise the electricity supply across the six lines they rely on. He added that as their staff gain experience, the metro service will become more reliable and stable.

Experts have long criticised the metro rail's Overhead Catenary System, calling it an outdated and risky power supply method.

Professor Dr Shamsul Hoque from Buet's Accident Research Institute pointed out that this century-old technology is ill-suited for densely populated cities like Dhaka.

He emphasised the dangers posed by objects falling onto the power lines, particularly in a city prone to nor'westers. Dr Hoque had previously opposed the use of this system, citing the potential problems it could create for the metro rail in Dhaka.