The government is going to construct elevated expressway on the east-west side of the capital.
It is expected that this expressway will connect the country with the Asian Highway.
The government has embarked on a rapid pace of infrastructure development for the sake of easing communications across the country.
Apart from a number of bridges, tunnels and roads being built across the length and breadth of the country, the launching of this expressway will enable vehicles from the south-western part to travel in the north-western part of the country and also the eastern part including Chittagong,Sylhet without entering Dhaka city through the Padma bridge.
More than four crore people of 30 districts will be benefited from the expressway after the project is implemented. This will not only save time and money, but also reduce the traffic snarl in Dhaka and the adjacent areas, according to the project proposal.
A proposal to implement the project in public-private partnership (PPP) was sent to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on Tuesday. The Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) will construct it.
According to BBA information, the project titled 'Construction of Dhaka East-West Elevated Expressway' was surveyed back in 2017. Then the government took the initiative to implement the project under G2G system. According to the feasibility study of the project, the implementation of this mega project will significantly reduce traffic congestion and improve transportation and communications in Savar, Ashulia, Nabinagar and Savar EPZ areas.
As the government did not get the desired response in G2G, this time initiative is being taken to implement the project on the basis of PPP. The construction cost of the four-lane flyover has been estimated at Tk 16,328 crore.
Secretary of Bridge Division Mohammad Belayet Hossain said, "This project is essential for easy travel to both the eastern and western parts of the capital city of Dhaka. It will be connected to four important highways of the country including the Padma bridge. The project will open the way to cross from one end to the other without entering the city."
BBA information showed, 340.735 acres of land will be acquired for the project. Land prices, installations and other compensation will be borne from the government budget. The Expression of Interest (EOI) will be called for the implementation of the project only after the policy approval from the CCEA. Based on EOI, BBA will determine the investors of the project.
The project is consistent with the Strategic Transport Plan (2016-2035) and the Asian Highway Network. It will be vital for establishing an improved transport link to the Trans Asian Highways.
The route alignment of the proposed expressway is Hemayetpur-Nimtoli- Keraniganj-Ekuria-Janzira-Fatullah-Hajiganj Bandar-Modonpur on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway.
