The elevated expressway will be launched by the end of March or in April. The elevated expressway will allow commuters to travel the 15km-long-route from Patenga to Tigerpass in just 15 minutes, which used to take almost three hours.
The expressway will start trafficking from Tigerpass to Patenga in the city. Construction of 15 ramps at 8 points may take till middle of next year. However, traffic will be started from Muradpur to Patenga by connecting ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury-CDA flyover with Akhtaruzzaman flyover at Lalkhan Bazar.
Construction cost of Chittagong Elevated Expressway is Tk 4 thousand 298 crore. However, Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) wants to collect toll for this large expressway in Chittagong and toll rates have already been proposed.
The proposed toll rates range from a minimum of Tk 10 to a maximum of Tk 450. It has been sent to the Ministry of Housing and Public Works for approval. But not finalized yet. The construction of the toll plaza has not been completed.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had inaugurated Chittagong's 'Mayor Mohiuddin Chowdhury CDA Elevated Expressway' on November 14 last year. Even though it has been inaugurated, traffic has not yet officially started as the construction work has not been completed. After completion of construction, the expressway may be opened to traffic by the end of March or the beginning of April.
CDA Chief Engineer Kazi Hasan Bin Shams said that 16-kilometer long elevated expressway is being constructed from Patenga to Lalkhan Bazar with the aim of decongesting Chittagong. The ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury-CDA elevated expressway will connect with the previously constructed Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury flyover at Lalkhan Bazar in the city.
It will carry vehicles from Patenga to Bahaddarhat over a 22-km long flyover. At the end of March, the section of the flyover from Tigerpass to Patenga was opened to traffic, but it will take the entire year to fully implement the flyover. The section from Tigerpass to Patenga is almost completely built. Only side railings, lighting and some work is left. A ramp leads down to Ambagan. Vehicles can go down to Patenga through this ramp. Again the vehicles coming from Patenga can get down at Tigerpass. Ramp work is going on at each stage, the ramp will be opened at the end of the work.
Two lanes of flyover coming from Patenga will come down in front of Lalkhan Bazar Magistrate Colony. On the other hand, it is being connected to the Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury flyover coming from Muradpur near Wasa Mor by Jamiatul Falah Mosque. Work is going on day and night to complete the project at the earliest.
He said a ramp will rise to the flyover from in front of Peninsula Hotel at GEC intersection so that passengers can go up to the flyover from GEC junction. Besides, two ramps at Tigerpass junction, one from CRB Road and the other from Ambagan Road will be connected to the flyover. 15 ramps will be constructed at 8 points from the expressway.
These will speed up traffic in the city. With the help of these ramps, the connectivity of the elevated expressway will increase. 4 at Agrabad, 1 at Fakirhat, 2 at Nimtala Junction, 2 at CEPZ Junction, 1 at Cement Crossing and 2 ramps in front of KEPZ will be added to the flyover.
Engineer Mahfuzur Rahman, Project Director of the elevated expressway, said that the elevated expressway will be launched from Tigerpass to Patenga in early March or April. However, once the work is completed at Lalkhan Bazar, traffic will start from Muradpur. The expressway will take some time to construct 15 ramps at 8 points. Ramp construction has started at GEC intersection.
This ramp will take off from the front of Peninsula Hotel. Ramp towards Ambagan at Tigerpass is almost complete. Ramp work will start from Station Road side. The ramp will be constructed by acquiring some land from the railway embankment in Agrabad. This means that vehicles coming from Agrabad Access Road will not have to enter through Agrabad Hotel Road.
You can reach the flyover from the main road. All necessary initiatives have been taken to increase the connectivity of the Expressway and make it more efficient. We want to complete all the ramps by June 2025. We will apply to the ministry to extend the time by one year. Because the project cannot be handed over until the work is completed.
