It was decided at an inter-ministerial meeting at the communication ministry with Communication Minister Nazmul Huda in the chair yesterday.

The Japan International Co-operation Agency (Jica) will conduct the study on metro rail with the financial assistance from Japan government while the survey on electric train service to be done by the Government of Bangladesh (GOB) with its own fund.

The main objective of the underground metro rail service is to solve the long traffic congestion in the capital permanently.

The survey on those two mega projects will start within a couple of months, according to sources.

Meanwhile, Huda expressed his dissatisfaction over slow pace of implementation of development work in railway department.

The meeting also reviewed the progress of 29 projects for development of railway sector. The projects include procurement of rail engine, locomotive, carriage wagon, development of signaling system and remodeling of old railway stations.

Huda said though the government has declared the railway a thrust sector and allocated enough money, but the people do not see any result due to inaction by the railway officials.

The meeting was told that the government allocated Tk 838.46 crore for those projects. Only a few small projects were implemented in the last four months and rest are still under implementation stages.

Huda criticised the railway department for depending on foreign spare parts while repairing railway engines instead of spare parts from machine tools factory.

He asked the railway officials to take projects and procurement proposals in a package instead of piece meal basis so that the people can get the benefit of the development. Communication Secretary Shafiqul Islam, representatives from finance and planing ministry and railways eastern and western zones were present at the meeting.