CA for habitable urban city thru' united efforts

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Chief Adviser (CA) Fakhruddin Ahmed Sunday expressed the hope that Dhaka would be turned to a better habitable urban city through the united efforts and ideas of government-private sectors and the stakeholders, reports UNB.
"Combination of the 15-year Strategic Transport Plan (STP) and Detailed Area Plan (DAP) for Dhaka Metropolitan Development Plan (DMDP) would make the capital city modern and better livable," Fakhruddin said while inaugurating the newly-built Banani-Gulshan connecting bridge over Gulshan lake Sunday morning.
He unveiled a plaque on the 306 metre-long bridge which began from the earlier dead-end of Road No 11 of Banani and gave an alternate access to Gulshan across the lake. The new bridge is expected to greatly lessen the heavy traffic pressure on existing Mohakhali and Kamal Ataturk connecting roads.
The bridge, costing Tk 220 million (22 crore), connects road number 11 of Banani with Road numbers 41, 43, 35 and 34 of Gulshan.
The construction of the connecting bridge project was completed about six months ahead of the targeted 18 months. The initiative ministry of the project is LGRD and Cooperative Ministry while implementing agency is Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), it was told at the function.
LGRD Adviser M Anwarul Iqbal, Secretary Local Government Division Khurshid Alam and LGED Chief Engineer Nurul Islam also spoke at the function which was also attended by Advisers, Special Assistants to CA, local elite and senior government officials.
Briefly addressing the function, the CA said that introduction of easy and smooth mass transportation system, new recreational facilities and solving the existing water logging problems would make city life much better.
He said his government has taken short and long-term plans and projects to remove traffic jams and easy and smooth transportation of commuters in the capital city.
Construction of small bridges and link roads are under short term projects like the Banani-Gulshan bridge. Some of the projects have almost been completed while others would be ready next year.
Fakhruddin said construction of elevated highways in Dhaka city and underground train are under the consideration of the government under long term measures.
He, however, said that feasibility work for elevated highway has started and hoped that it would be implemented in the future.
Regarding city's ongoing Hatirjheel project, Fakhruddin said on completion it would help protect the environment and also minimize water logging in the city.