With the fast progress in the construction work of the elevated expressway in the port city of Chattogram the expressway is expected to be opened in February next year, said Chattogram Development Authority (CDA).
This decision has been taken for the future Karnaphuli tunnel and to reduce the traffic pressure on the port. CDA also said that 70 percent of the construction of the 10 km elevated expressway has been completed.
The construction of the elevated expressway started in 2017 to improve the communication system and control traffic congestion from Patenga to Lalkhan Bazar and Lalkhan Bazar to Bahaddarhat in Chattogram city.
However, one end of the expressway in the middle will be connected to Lalkhan Bazar road. The other end will be connected to the Bangabandhu Tunnel built under the Karnaphuli River.
As per the plan, if the tunnel is opened this year, the traffic pressure will increase on all the roads of the city including the airport road. For this reason, about 10 km section of the elevated expressway from Patenga to Nimtala Bishwa Road will be opened in February next year, CDA said. The work is being carried out in coordination with all the government service agencies including port, CWASA and railways.
Chairman of Chattogram Development Authority said that the entire work will be completed in June 2024. The cost of the entire project has been estimated at around Tk 3 thousand 250 crores 83 lakh.
Along this important road of Chattogram city, commercial areas, Agrabad Bank area, Chattogram Port, Chattogram Custom House, BSC, BPC, Shipping Agent Office, Chattogram EPZ, Karnaphuli EPZ, six private off-docks are located. About 5 lakh workers work in Chattogram EPZ and Karnaphuli EPZ.
Due to the construction work of the elevated expressway, the city dwellers are suffering due to broken roads, dust and mud water when it rains. The traffic department of CMP is trying to deal with the traffic jam caused in different parts of the road due to the construction work.
A toll charge may be decided on the elevated expressway to meet its maintenance costs. Experts say that if the elevated expressway is tolled, the public will not benefit and the city dwellers will be deprived of the benefits of traffic congestion.
The Tk 3,250 crore 83 lakh project was approved on July 11, 2017 at an ECNEC meeting and was targeted for completion within three years. The length of this four-lane elevated expressway from Lalkhan Bazar in the city to the airport will be 16.5 km.
The project was delayed due to various reasons including Chattogram Port's objection at the beginning of the work, waiting for land acquisition, not getting permission from the traffic department, objection on the design of Lalkhan Bazar section and delay in opening the alternate road.
The duration of the project has been extended from June 2020 to June 2021. It was then extended by one year to June 2024.
Project Director CDA Engineer Mahfuzur Rahman said, “The Ministry of Housing and Public Works has approved the proposal to extend the time till June 2024. More than 300 out of 390 pillars have been completed. The development project work is progressing at a fast pace.”
“We take care that people do not suffer,” Rahman said adding, “Daily sprinkling of water has been arranged to prevent flying dust. About 70 percent of the project work has been completed. The project is expected to be completed by June 2023. Now it takes 2-3 hours to reach any destination, after completion of the project it will take 20 minutes to reach. We want to open the 10 km stretch from Patenga to Nimtala in January or February.”
A toll will be levied to cover the maintenance cost of the elevated expressway of Tk 20 lakh per month. If there is no toll, it is not possible to meet this cost. It will have 12 toll plazas.
According to experts, people will not be encouraged to use this bridge if they have to use toll. As a result, there will be traffic congestion on the main road. Even if the toll is imposed, it should be within the means of the people.
