Metro Rail safety audit flags structural defects, fire risks

Highlights: 

• 730 defective bearing pads found, accounting for over 23% of those inspected.
• Cracks, rust and other structural defects raise serious safety concerns.
• Trains run below design speed, slowing to 44-47 km/h in some sections.
• Electrical sparking in the power system poses a potential fire risk.
• Audit calls for urgent repairs and an independent international safety review.

An independent safety audit has found 730 bearing pads, more than a 23% of those inspected, defective, which is linked to poor ride quality and speed restrictions of the country's lone metro rail.

It has also detected "significant" cracks in pier heads and concrete bases at multiple locations of the 21.26km line and found rusted rails, fastenings and other components.

Strong sparks at insulated overlaps of the overhead catenary system (OCS) that supplies continuous electric power to the train has become a persistent operational hazard, presenting fire risk, said the safety audit committee that examined operational risks and structural integrity of MRT Line-6.

Infographics: TBS

"Riding quality was affected by vibration, jerk, track-support issues, defective bearing pads, and temporary speed restrictions," said the committee in its report, noting that trains were unable to operate at design speed reportedly to control excessive vibration.

Although the system was designed for speeds of up to 110km/h, trains are currently operating between 60 and 90km/h, with actual speeds in some sections dropping as low as 44-47km/h – indicating a substantial loss of performance capability, it said.

Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL), the state-owned operator of the metro rail, constituted the safety audit committee of experts and officials upon directives from the High Court and road transport ministry following the incident of the fall of a dislocated load-bearing pad on 26 October 2025 killing one pedestrian near Farmgate station.

That was the second such incident in barely one year since a bearing pad fell near the same area, raising serious safety concerns and design and maintenance flaws of the Tk32,717 crore mega project financed by Japan. Opened on 28 December 2022, the elevated metro rail carries 4 lakh passengers daily on Diabari-Motijheel route. It has 16 elevated stations.

The latest safety audit report, prepared in May, was presented to the DMTCL and submitted to the higher court as per earlier directives.

The nine-member committee, headed by Md Jahangir Alam, ex-vice chancellor of Cuet, concludes that MRT Line-6 is operating under a "compound hazard profile" with multiple interconnected safety deficiencies that require urgent attention.

It warns that unless immediate corrective measures are implemented, passenger safety and the long-term sustainability of the metro system could be at significant risk.

Structural defects raise safety concerns

A member of the audit committee, Prof Shamsul Haque of the Buet, has warned that the metro rail system faces clear safety risks due to compromised construction quality. 

Speaking to TBS, he said bearing pads are not expected to shift or fall within such a short operational period, yet incidents have already occurred – an event considered extremely rare globally. As a temporary measure, brackets are now being installed around bearing pads to prevent further dislodgement.

Of particular concern, bearing pads at Piers 442, 446, and 448 were reported to be bumping during train movement, and a bearing pad displacement was recorded at Pier 423, the report said, recommending immediate replacement or rectification.

The committee identified inappropriate design considerations as a possible cause for all bearing pad dislodgement incidents and asked the Japanese design consultant NKDM Associates, to explain. 

Although consultants asserted that the contractors are actively resolving all types of defects under the Defect Notification Period (DNP), the high rate of recurrence for most issues remains prevalent, the committee said.

Damaged or displaced bearing pads along with visible cracks in pier heads, concrete bases, and box girders are among the most serious structural concerns, the report said.

A crack width measured greater than 1mm on Pier 341 is critical, and progressive widening of such cracks may indicate ongoing structural deterioration and potential safety risks, necessitating immediate remedial measures to seal the cracks, mitigate further degradation, and preserve the structural integrity and service life of the infrastructure, the report said.

Operational problems slowing the metro

The report identifies persistent rolling stock failures, including frequent train undershooting, where trains stop short of designated points with high-jerk braking, causing misalignment between train and platform screen doors. It describes this as a serious passenger safety risk. 

Five train sets have already been withdrawn from service because of recurring problems.

Other concerns include wheel wear and potential cracking, door control failures, and pantograph damage from persistent electrical sparking. 

The committee warned unresolved wheel defects could lead to derailment. Three of 12 lightning arresters were also found damaged, while 10 temporary speed restrictions continue to cause abnormal vibration and jerking.

The audit found many station columns rely on single-pile foundations without adequate lateral bracing, increasing seismic risk. It also said load testing for permanent piles was missing or inadequately documented, leaving load-bearing capacity unverified.

The committee found maintenance capacity severely inadequate, citing shortages of inspection equipment, spare parts and a real-time Structural Health Monitoring system, forcing reliance on reactive, visual inspections.

The audit also flagged transformer defects, water leakage into electrical and signalling rooms, and persistent overhead catenary sparking, warning of heightened risks of short circuits, fires, wire snapping, passenger entrapment and system shutdown.

Maintenance gaps expose system vulnerabilities

The committee concluded that MRT Line-6 is operating under a "compound hazard profile", with overlapping risks exposing fundamental system-level safety deficiencies rather than routine maintenance issues.

It recommended immediate structural repairs, replacement of defective bearing pads, comprehensive dynamic testing, installation of real-time monitoring systems, stronger maintenance capacity and appointment of an internationally accredited independent auditor for a full safety review.

Prof Shamsul Haque said the system is being kept operational through additional spending and speed restrictions at around 10 locations. Measures such as installing brackets to secure bearing pads and reducing train speeds are damage-control steps, not permanent solutions.

"Trains cannot operate at their intended design speed. Although reducing speed mitigates risk, it significantly lowers productivity and revenue," he said, adding that rising maintenance costs from an early stage could affect future loan repayment.

He described persistent electrical sparking, train-door misalignment and water ingress into substations as early warning signs of growing systemic risks. A system designed to operate efficiently for 20-25 years now depends on continuous maintenance and speed restrictions, increasing costs and reducing performance.

He also cited inadequate maintenance capacity, including shortages of essential equipment and real-time monitoring systems, while noting that some software purchased in Bangladesh's name is reportedly hosted in Tokyo, raising concerns over control and transparency.

Audit calls for urgent repairs and independent review

The committee urged urgent interventions within a month to stabilise high-risk structural elements, including installing crack gauges and settlement markers and replacing defective bearing pads, particularly at Piers 423, 442, 446 and 448.

It called for waterproofing all substations and signalling rooms before the monsoon, regular rail testing, immediate withdrawal of defective trains from service, investigation into overhead electrical sparking and contingency evacuation plans for power failures.

Within six months, the audit recommended full-route dynamic vibration testing and measures to gradually remove speed restrictions.

For long-term safety, it proposed a permanent Smart Structural Health Monitoring system, an independent safety steering committee and digital defect management within two years.

The report also called for stronger maintenance capacity through better staffing, training, tools and spare parts, alongside independent design reviews for future metro projects and regular public safety audits.