CHATTOGRAM, Apr 18: The evaluation of three shortlisted foreign firms for a consultant on the Chattogram-Cox's Bazar Highway Improvement Project is expected to be completed by June this year, according to officials.
The consultant will oversee the construction of four bypasses and one flyover along the 26-kilometre highway.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the project proposal last year. It includes building four bypass roads and one flyover at a cost of Tk 85.56 billion.
A feasibility study recommended the construction of the bypasses and flyover to ease five major bottlenecks on the Chattogram-Cox's Bazar Highway.
Those are the 5.4-kilometre Patiya bypass, 3.3-kilometre Dohazari bypass, 5.1-kilometre Lohagara bypass, 6.8-kilometre Chakaria bypass and a 3.5-kilometre flyover at Keranihat.
The bypasses will have four lanes with 2.5-metre breakdown lanes on each side, while the flyover will have six lanes.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) conducted the feasibility study.
The project comes as the government looks to improve traffic flow on the Chattogram-Cox's Bazar highway amid frequent congestion and accidents caused by heavy vehicular flow.
The project is meant to eliminate bottlenecks within the next few years, anticipating a significant rise in road traffic once the Matarbari Deep Sea Port in Maheshkhali becomes operational in 2026.
Besides, the improved highway will also connect to the Matarbari power hub and Teknaf land port.
Bangladesh and Japan signed loan agreements for the project in March last year. Japan will provide a loan of 55,729 million Japanese yen (around $429 million) for the first tranche of the project.
The interest rate of the loan will be 1.20 per cent for construction, 0.01 per cent for consultancy services and 0.2 per cent front end fees. The repayment period will be 30 years, including a 10-year grace period.
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