The 16-km elevated expressway, from Lalkhan Bazar in Chattogram to Patenga, is nearing completion.
The elevated expressway project was approved in July 2017 at an ECNEC meeting to reduce congestion in the city of Chottogram. The cost is estimated at 3 thousand 250 crore 83 lakh taka. Bangladeshi contractor company Max and Chinese company Rankin jointly got the construction work. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the pillar piling work of the elevated expressway on February 24, 2019.
The work on the project was supposed to be completed by June 2022 but due to various complications the duration has been extended till 2023. Total construction cost is now 4 thousand 369 crore 7 lakh 10 thousand 819 taka.
Direct connection of the city with South Chattogram will be established through this elevated expressway with Karnaphuli tunnel.
The city's largest elevated expressway will be launched this year. Carpeting of the roads and other works are nearing completion. Once completed and opened for public, people will reach Patenga from Lalkhan Bazar within 15-20 minutes. Using this expressway, passengers can reach the airport without any hassle.
Meanwhile, construction of various mega projects of the government is also going on at a fast pace in the port city. A four-lane elevated expressway from Lalkhan Bazar to Shah Amanat Airport is opening this year. About 85 percent of the 16 km long and 16.5 meter wide infrastructure work has been completed.
The elevated expressway Project Director Md. Mahfuzur Rahman said that the work was delayed due to land acquisition complications. The speed of work also increased with the removal of land complications.
He said that works of the project will be completed on time. Out of 16 km, 11 km from airport to Nimtala has been completed. Casting and railing work at most places within 6 km from Nimtala to Lalkhan Bazar has been done.
Work on three spans is in progress in the Barrick building area. The work from Chowmuhani to Lalkhan Bazar will be completed soon. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the main flyover. The flyover will be opened for traffic soon after the inauguration.
According to CDA sources, 24 ramps are being constructed at 9 junctions under this project. Among them, there are 4 ramps at Tigerpass, 4 at Agrabad, 2 at Barik Building Junction, 2 at Nimtala Junction, 2 at Custom Junction, 4 at CEPZ, 2 at KEPZ, 2 at Kathgarh and 2 at Patenga Seaside area. The width of this four-lane expressway will be 54 feet. There will be 2500 LED lights on the expressway.
The cost of the project has increased by 36 percent due to cost increase in various areas including changing the alignment of expressway, new land acquisition, construction of toll plaza, installation of CCTV cameras, construction of control tower, construction of foot overbridges at various points, installation of sound proof barrier and relocation of electric poles.