Shawdesh Desk:

With the completion of 65 per cent work, the first-ever elevated expressway from the city’s Lalkhan Bazar intersection to Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport is expected to open to traffic by June next year.

Project officials said work on 13-kilometre area of the total 16-kilometre expressway, the first of its kind in Chattogram, is going on in full swing after addressing the complexities.

Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) Executive Engineer and the Project Director (PD) Md Mahfuzur Rahman said major complexities over different issues regarding the expressway have already been addressed.

Some minor problems are being addressed gradually, he said.

“We couldn’t start works of the three-kilometre section including Barik Building to Customs due to water pipeline of Chattogram Wasa,” he said.

“The Wasa has finalised the tender for shifting the pipelines and work in this regard will start soon,” said the PD.

Besides, Bangladesh Railway is yet to hand over land from Tigerpass to Dewahat Rail Line for the project. After getting the land, the works from the Lalkhan Bazar to the Dewanhat section will start, he said.

Girders have already been placed in some seven kilometres areas of the expressway from Patenga to Chattogram Export Processing Zone while construction of pillars is almost completed, said Mahfuzur.

“We have brought some changes in the design. The expressway will now connect the Akhtaruzzaman Flyover in Lalkhan Bazar and no one will need to come down on road to reach the flyover or the expressway,” he said.

The PD also informed that they have sent a proposal to increase the project cost by 35 per cent.

Regarding the increase in the project cost, the PD said 50 per cent of the proposed cost will be spent on land acquisition and compensation for structures in the port area following changes in alignment.

“We are trying to open the expressway partially from Nimtala to Patenga by this year,” he said.

The work of the main expressway will be completed by June next year while all works including the ramps by June 2024, he added.

Asked about any potential traffic congestion at the entry points of the expressway, Bangabandhu Tunnel and ‘Outer Ring Road’ in the Patenga area, the PD said the issue has been solved after discussing with the other agencies concerned.

The physical work of the project taken to facilitate traffic movement in the city started in January 2018.

But, objections from the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA), Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) and Traffic Department of Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) on different occasions caused delays to the project.

It compelled the implementing agency CDA to carry out the works mostly in 5.50-kilometre areas stretching from Patenga to the Cement Crossing till the begging of last year.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the mega project in July 2017.

The project involving Tk 32.50 billion is being implemented with the government’s fund.

CDA initiated the project to develop smooth communication between the Chattogram city and south Chattogram districts and upazilas, cut distance and cost for commuters in the city and ease movement to and from the Chattogram Port and Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport.

CDA, earlier, constructed two flyovers connecting the Bahoddarhat and Lalkhan Bazar areas in the city. After the implementation of the expressway, the two ends of the city will be connected through flyover and elevated expressway.

The 16.5 km elevated expressway will be a four-lane one with a total width of 16.5 metres. It will have 24 ramps at nine points from the Lalkhan Bazar to Airport. With the ramps, the total length of the expressway will stand at 28.5 Km.

The ramps will facilitate entry and exit at Tigerpass, Agrabad, Barik Building, NimtalaBiswa Road, Customs, CEPZ, Karnaphuli EPZ, Kathgarr, Sea-beach and Airport intersections.

The CDA opened the 6.8km ‘Akhtaruzzaman Flyover’ from Muradpur to Lalkhan Bazar to traffic on June 16 in 2017.

A ramp in front of Nasirabad Boy’s School and the 70-feet high loop connecting the Baby Super Market on Bayezid Bostami Road and the GEC intersection reduced traffic congestion significantly in the busy Sholoshahar Gate No.2 area.