Kuril Flyover will be gateway to Dhaka : PM

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Dhaka city stepped into a new phase Sunday to make the capital a modern habitat by decreasing traffic jam and putting in place faster transport facilities with opening of the city's largest-ever communication infrastructure -- Kuril Flyover -- to traffic, reports BSS. Inaugurating the 3.1-kilometre multi-dimensional flyover, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina advised people to cast their vote carefully in the next general election to continue the pace of development. Sheikh Hasina said her government has given special importance to development of the capital city and taken multifacetedinitiatives under Strategic Transport Plan (STP) to build a modern Dhaka. As part of it, she said the Mirpur-Airport Road Flyover, overpass on Banani rail line and connecting road have already been opened to traffic side by side with implementation of Hatirjheel Project. She said the Kuril Flyover will be the gateway of Dhaka and entry point of modern Purbachal City. It will make easy the communications with Purbachal, reduce traffic congestion and have positive impacts on economy. Post and Telecommunication Minister Sahara Khatun and State Minister for Housing and Public Works Advocate Abdul Mannan Khan attended the function held in the project area. Local parliament member AKM Rahmatullah and Rajuk Chairman M Nurul Huda spoke, among others, on the occasion while Housing and Public Works Secretary Dr Khandakar Showkat Hossain was in the chair. Chief of consultant team Prof Azadur Rahman briefed the audience on various aspects of the project. Sheikh Hasina extended her thanks to all concerned for completion of the Kuril Flyover project within 38 months. She said, "Smooth implementation of the project manifested that there was no corruption in the project. It would have not been possible if there was any corruption in this project," she said. The 9.2-metre wide flyover, comprising four sections, will ensure uninterrupted transport movements at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Nikunja, Banani, Rampura and Purbachal areas of the city. Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) has implemented the flyover at a cost of around Tk 3.03 billion (303 crore) to ease traffic congestion at Kuril intersection and connect Purbachal new town with the capital. The picturesque infrastructure will give a positive impression about Bangladesh's development efforts to the foreigners, Rajuk officials said. Sheikh Hasina said construction of Jatrabari Flyover is nearing completion while the work on 26-kilometre Dhaka Elevated Expressway is going on in full swing. Another flyover will be constructed from Shantinagar to Jhilmil on Dhaka-Mawa road, she said. The Prime Minister said the metro rail project has been approved and its work will begin soon. She said construction of the Padma Bridge will also begin during the tenure of the present government. Sheikh Hasina said the present government over the last four and a half years has implemented massive development programmes in the areas of communications, agriculture, education, health, social safety, poverty alleviation and rural development. She said Bangladesh is now a role model of development to the world community. The countrymen want development whatever conspiracy is being hatched by BNP, Jamaat and Hefajat, she said.