Preparations to inaugurate the long-awaited Dhaka Elevated Expressway (DEE) have gained momentum, with authorities focused on ensuring seamless operation of toll plazas and smooth traffic flow to facilitate toll collection.
The first half of the 19.73-kilometre elevated expressway - the first large-scale infrastructure project under a public-private partnership (PPP) - is set to open for traffic on the following day after its inauguration by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on September 2.
Officials said all six toll plazas are now fully equipped to accommodate vehicles of varying categories through four to six lanes, with a six-second target for passage.
They also said toll surveillance facilities have been readied at each plaza location, spanning from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Tejgaon, to ensure the expressway's operational efficiency.
According to the concessionaire agreement, the expressway's private partner Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited will collect tolls ranging from Tk 80 to Tk 400 for four vehicle categories, enabling them to recoup their investment in 25 years.
The agreement also stipulates that if the traffic volume on the expressway remains below a certain threshold for 15 consecutive days, the private party will be compensated with another one-day collection.
Conversely, for traffic exceeding 60,000 vehicles, the public partner will receive 25 per cent of the toll share.
During a visit to the initial section of the expressway - stretching from Banani to Dhaka airport - the FE found a test drive of various vehicles, including small and large trucks, covered vans and pickups, crossing the Kawla plaza near HSIA in accordance with the prescribed toll rates.
Bridge Secretary M Monjur Hossain and Project Director AHMS Aktar also inspected the system at the site.
Secretary Hossain told the FE that each toll plaza, whether at the Airport, Kuril, Banani, Mohakhali or Tejgaon, will feature a minimum of four lanes to facilitate efficient traffic movement.
In response to a question about the potential for tailbacks at the plazas due to the absence of an electronic payment system, he dismissed such concerns.
He said all the up and down ramps have been constructed on the side space, ensuring ample room without impeding the main existing road.
Besides, he asserted that the expressway users would largely consist of traffic from the existing roads, which could potentially alleviate the pressure on road capacity to some extent.
Regarding the operation and maintenance of the infrastructure, the project director said an operation and maintenance company has been established. This company will conduct round-the-clock monitoring of the expressway and address any issues that arise.
He also said that the process to form a joint venture company involving the project's private partners - Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited, China Shandong International Economic and Technical Group and Sinodydro Corporation - has already begun.
Sources said that the concessionaire has built a central control room at Kuril, which will continuously monitor the expressway through 24 closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras.
Besides, the expressway carriage features service lanes on both sides of the road, allowing for swift passage shortly after any incidents.
The Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) took charge of the expressway project when the current ruling Awami League came into power in 2009.
Although the Italian-Thai Company emerged as the preferred choice among two companies for the initial PPP project in 2010, the project faced setbacks until 2020, when the concessionaire secured funds from the two Chinese companies.
Stretching over 19.71 km, the expressway will encompass 27 km ramps, intersecting at 31 points across various parts of the city - from Dhaka airport to Kutubkhali on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway.
The inaugural section, spanning from Dhaka airport to Farmgate, will feature a total of 15 ramps, including six for traffic entry.
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