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Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway

Construction work begins soon


Published : 22 Mar 2021 10:06 PM | Updated : 23 Mar 2021 01:21 AM

Construction work of another elevated expressway named Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway, is expected to be started by this month, said sources in the Parliamentary Committee on Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges. 

A report submitted to the Parliamentary Committee on the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges said that the contractor would start the main work immediately after the signing the loan agreement with Economic Relations Division (ERD) this month.

According to sources, the Exim Bank of China is financing the construction cost of the Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway in a Government to Government (GTG) agreement.

It should be mentioned that more than three and a half years have already passed since the approval of the project by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC). Besides, the loan agreement process was delayed for more than a year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. However, the ministry is now hopeful of the loan agreement.

According to sources, the Parliamentary Committee on Road Transport and Bridges in its meeting held at the National Parliament on last Thursday placed the latest progress report on the Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway construction project.

In the report, the committee mentioned that the 'Development Project Proposal’ (DPP) of the project was approved by the ECNEC on November 2 in 2017 and the Bridges Division authority signed an agreement with the contractor firm on November 29 the same year. 

The report also mentioned that the process of land acquisition in Gazipur district is almost at the final stage. Accordingly, the process for land acquisition in Dhaka is going on in full swing.

According to the report, the Chinese government has also approved the loan proposal last year. The loan agreement between Bangladesh and China is expected to be signed soon. The ERD will be the signing authority of Bangladesh. Besides, the contractor firm is expected to start the construction process at the end of this month.

Officials concerned of the Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway project said that the construction cost of the project so far has been estimated at Tk 16,901 crore. Of the total amount, the China Exim Bank will finance Tk 10,950 crore and the rest - Tk 5,951 crore by the Bangladesh government. Besides Tk 1,248 crore would be required to pay the affected land owners (for land acquisition). 

The officials also said that the Bangladesh government appointed a Chinese construction firm - China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC) for the construction of the Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway in 2017.

As per the project details submitted to the meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, Tk 10,949 crore would be required for structural construction and the rest amount would be spent for land acquisition and other purposes.

The report also mentioned that, Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway project will help reducing traffic jam and public sufferings to the people in Dhaka, Savar and Ashulia. The project will be directly connected to the Asian Highway and will play a role in enhancing the country's inter-country road connectivity facilities.

Besides, if the project is implemented, it will increase interconnection of the existing Dhaka-Chittagong Highway, Dhaka-Sylhet Highway, Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway, Dhaka-Jamalpur Highway, Dhaka-Manikganj-Tentulia Highway and Dhaka-Mawa-Barisal Highway.

Moreover, it will also be connected with the under-construction Dhaka Elevated Expressway via the Dhaka Airport.