Safety audit finds serious flaws in MRT Line-6

A comprehensive independent safety audit has uncovered significant structural and operational deficiencies in Bangladesh's only metro rail system, MRT Line-6, warning that unresolved defects could pose serious risks to passenger safety and the network's long-term reliability.

The audit identified 730 defective bearing pads�"more than 23 percent of those inspected�"and found that the defects have contributed to excessive vibration, poor ride quality and speed restrictions along several sections of the 21.26-kilometre elevated corridor.

Investigators also detected cracks in pier heads, concrete foundations and box girders, along with corrosion on rails, fastening systems and other key components.

One of the most serious findings relates to the overhead catenary system (OCS), where persistent electrical arcing at insulated overlaps has been identified as a potential hazard that could increase the risk of fire, equipment failure and service disruption.

According to the audit, trains designed to operate at speeds of up to 110 km/h are currently running at only 60-90 km/h, with speeds dropping to as low as 44-47 km/h in some sections because of temporary restrictions imposed to minimise structural vibration.

730 defective bearing pads, cracks and electrical faults require urgent repairs

The nine-member committee, led by former Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) Vice-Chancellor Prof Mohammad Jahangir Alam, concluded that MRT Line-6 is operating under a "compound risk profile", with multiple interconnected structural, mechanical and operational deficiencies requiring urgent attention.

The audit was commissioned after a displaced bearing pad fell from the viaduct near Farmgate Station on October 26, 2025, killing a pedestrian. It was the second such incident within a year, prompting directives from the High Court and the Road Transport and Highways Division.

Among the structural concerns, the committee reported severe impacts between bearing pads and Piers 442, 446 and 448, while another bearing pad at Pier 423 had shifted from its original position. It also identified a crack exceeding one millimetre at Pier 341, describing it as a significant structural defect requiring urgent repair to prevent further deterioration.

The committee urged the immediate replacement of defective bearing pads and sought explanations from the Japanese design consultant, NKDM Associates, regarding possible design shortcomings.

The audit also highlighted a range of operational problems, including repeated train undershooting that causes misalignment between train doors and platform screen doors, excessive wheel wear, door control failures and damage to pantographs caused by continuous electrical sparking. Five train sets have already been withdrawn from service because of recurring faults.

Additional deficiencies include damaged lightning protection systems, water leakage into substations and signalling rooms, inadequate seismic bracing at several stations and the absence of a real-time structural health monitoring system.

BUET professor and audit committee member Dr Shamsul Hoque said measures such as installing brackets to secure bearing pads and reducing train speeds should be regarded only as temporary risk-mitigation measures rather than permanent solutions.