Construction of Dhaka elevated expressway begins at April-end
FE Report | Friday, 1 April 2011
FE Report
Construction of the first elevated expressway in the capital will start this month as a part of the government's stepped-up effort to ease crippling congestion in Dhaka, a minister said Thursday. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the construction work of the Tk87 billion (US$1.25 billion) expressway, being financed through the country's first public-private partnership (PPP) initiative. "The Prime Minister will open the construction in the last week of April. A Thai minister will be present in the opening ceremony," communications minister Syed Abul Hossain said. An Italian-Thai joint venture won the bid to construct the 26-kilometre long expressway that will connect northern Dhaka with its southern parts. Bangladesh Bridge Authority and the Italian-Thai Development Company signed an agreement on January 19 to build the expressway in three and a half years. The communications minister made the comments while inspecting the progress of the Mirpur-Airport flyover construction in the capital. Hossain said the government has given highest importance on easing traffic jam in Dhaka and expressed his confidence to reduce congestion to a tolerable limit before of the end of its tenure. He said key roads in the capital would be jam-free after the introduction of rapid bus transit and construction of the elevated expressway, a metro rail and a number of flyovers at Kuril, Gulistan, Mirpur and Airport. The 16 Engineers Construction Battalion of Bangladesh Army Special Works Organisation is constructing the Tk 1.92 billion flyover from Mirpur to Airport Road through the Dhaka Cantonment. The communications minister said the Mirpur-Airport road flyover will ease congestion in the busy airport road and some parts of Mirpur when it will be open to traffic by the end of October 2012. He said the Mirpur-Airport road flyover will help millions of people to commute easily by avoiding the time-consuming security checks inside the cantonment and the regular jams at the Banani rail crossing. The minister stressed effective coordination among the infrastructure implementing agencies including Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkhya, Dhaka City Corporation, Roads and Highway Department and Bangladesh Bridge Authority. He asked them to strictly follow the government's strategic transport plan while implementing and designing the projects. Rail and road secretary Mozzammel Haque Khan, project director Abu Sayed Mohammad Masud, RHD chief engineer Mostaq Ahmed, director of BASWO Sahidur Rahman were present.
Construction of the first elevated expressway in the capital will start this month as a part of the government's stepped-up effort to ease crippling congestion in Dhaka, a minister said Thursday. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the construction work of the Tk87 billion (US$1.25 billion) expressway, being financed through the country's first public-private partnership (PPP) initiative. "The Prime Minister will open the construction in the last week of April. A Thai minister will be present in the opening ceremony," communications minister Syed Abul Hossain said. An Italian-Thai joint venture won the bid to construct the 26-kilometre long expressway that will connect northern Dhaka with its southern parts. Bangladesh Bridge Authority and the Italian-Thai Development Company signed an agreement on January 19 to build the expressway in three and a half years. The communications minister made the comments while inspecting the progress of the Mirpur-Airport flyover construction in the capital. Hossain said the government has given highest importance on easing traffic jam in Dhaka and expressed his confidence to reduce congestion to a tolerable limit before of the end of its tenure. He said key roads in the capital would be jam-free after the introduction of rapid bus transit and construction of the elevated expressway, a metro rail and a number of flyovers at Kuril, Gulistan, Mirpur and Airport. The 16 Engineers Construction Battalion of Bangladesh Army Special Works Organisation is constructing the Tk 1.92 billion flyover from Mirpur to Airport Road through the Dhaka Cantonment. The communications minister said the Mirpur-Airport road flyover will ease congestion in the busy airport road and some parts of Mirpur when it will be open to traffic by the end of October 2012. He said the Mirpur-Airport road flyover will help millions of people to commute easily by avoiding the time-consuming security checks inside the cantonment and the regular jams at the Banani rail crossing. The minister stressed effective coordination among the infrastructure implementing agencies including Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakkhya, Dhaka City Corporation, Roads and Highway Department and Bangladesh Bridge Authority. He asked them to strictly follow the government's strategic transport plan while implementing and designing the projects. Rail and road secretary Mozzammel Haque Khan, project director Abu Sayed Mohammad Masud, RHD chief engineer Mostaq Ahmed, director of BASWO Sahidur Rahman were present.