Metro rail now runs between Uttara and Agargaon in the capital. For the convenience of office commuters, from 31 May the metro rail will run from 8am to 8pm, and in July trial runs will also begin on the Agargaon-Motijheel section.

Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) plans to plant a variety of bonsai-type trees along the entire median beneath the metro rail. These trees will be long-lasting but will stop growing beyond a certain point.

DMTCL said the whole median from Uttara to Motijheel will be used and planted permanently. The trees will not grow very large and will be largely bonsai-type. Species suited to shade will be planted where the metro rail always casts shade, and sun-tolerant trees where the sun falls most. Preparation of the soil in the median is already under way to carry out the programme.

Meanwhile, planting has already started along the Uttara-Agargaon route. The metro rail coaches run on a viaduct, and to beautify the road below, croton and various flowering trees will be planted.

People involved in the project said croton, kanchan, karabi, gandharaj, kurchi, radhachura, haimanti, tagar, sonalu, krishnachura, kadam, bakul and palash have been planted along the route. Now a plan has been made to plant various bonsai species.

Shanti Moni Chakma, deputy secretary and deputy project director (land acquisition and resettlement) of the Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project (Line-6), told Jagonews24: "We have decided to plant 12 species of trees along the metro rail median. These are largely bonsai-type trees, as they will not grow very big and will stop growing at some point. The plan was made with the soil and weather in mind. Where there is more shade we will plant shade-tolerant trees, and where there is more sun we will plant sun-tolerant trees."

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.