Two segments of the much-awaited Dhaka Elevated Expressway (DEE) are expected to open for traffic movement by the end of next year, officials said on Tuesday.
The project work is divided into three segments — 7.45 kilometers from Airport to Banani, will be constructed in the first part, 5.85 kilometers from Banani to Moghbazar in the second part, and 6.43 kilometers from Moghbazar to Kutubkhali in the final part.
Construction work of Dhaka Elevated Expressway has started after overcoming the adverse effects of Corona pandemic. Authorities said work is underway to launch a flyover from the airport to Tejgaon by December 2021.
Elevated Expressway is the largest PPP project in public-private partnership to reduce traffic congestion in the capital city.
Until now, the first part of the project has achieved 56 percent progress. On the other hand, construction work of the second phase from Banani to Tejgaon is also progressing while land acquisition of third phase from Tejgaon to Kutubkhali has just been completed.
The project director says there are no complications with land and money.
AHMS Akhtar, Project Director of Dhaka Elevated Expressway, said, “Right now no financial problems are there. This crisis is over and we have been able to overcome the problems with land allocation complications.”
The project director said that they are also putting highest importance to the health safety of the workers to keep the pace of work going. However, they are looking forward to completing the work by December 2023.
“By December 2021, we will be able to open the segment of the expressway from Airport to Tejgaon to the public and we are continuously working to complete the whole project by 2023,” added Akhtar.
Earlier, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said that Dhaka Elevated Expressway will play a significant role in the movement of heavy and other light motor vehicles.
According to the project details, Italian Thai Development Public Company Limited has been awarded works to construct the 46.73 kilometers elevated expressway from Airport to Kutubkhali under Public Private Partnership (PPP) system.
Out of the total 46.73 kilometers elevated expressway including ramp, 19.73 kilometers will be main line, which will ensure smooth movement of motor vehicles without traffic, the project details said.
The 20 km Dhaka Elevated Expressway is being built at a cost of Taka 8,940.18 crore, which will connect Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport with Kutubkhali on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway via Kuril- Banani-Mohakhali-Tejgaon-Moghbazar-Kamalapur-Sayedabad-Jatrabari.