Ctg elevated expressway completes 58pc work, need more money

As the 16.5-km elevated expressway project in Chattogram was extended for three years for multiple reasons, officials said the Tk 32.50 billion project would need more money. When completed, it would be the longest expressway in the country as it gets connected with two more similar overpasses, officials said.

Change in plan and buying land from Chattogram Seaport Authority are the main reasons for cost enhancements, Engineer M Mahafuzur Rahman, the Project Director, said without specifying the extra fund size.

“We needed a longer time to take permission from various agencies, such as Power Development Board (PDB), Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) and Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) to begin construction works of the expressway,” he added.

Officials said around 58 percent construction work of the elevated expressway has been completed and the rest could be done in the next two years.

Chattogram Development Authority conceived the project to facilitate smooth communications between the main city and the south Chattogram districts and upazilas, shortening distance and cost of travel and easing movement to and from the city and Shah Amanat International Airport.

Though the structural works of the expressway from Lalkhan Bazar intersection to Chattogram Shah Amanat International started in January 2018, it has been rescheduled to end by June, 2023.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) had approved the project in July 2017 and its completion deadline was set for 2020.

The 16.5 kilometer overpass will be a four-lane one with a total width of 16.5 metres. It will have 24 stops in nine points from Lalkhan Bazar to Airport, said

the PD.

"Almost 8 kilometer stretch from Airport to Saltgola intersection has been built,” the PD said adding that piling work from Barik Building to Chattogram Customs area will start from October.

He said after completion of the project, a tourist will be able to go to the airport in about 25-30 minutes from downtown Bahoddarhat which is now a two and a half hours journey.

Although the expressway will be a toll road, the commuters will enjoy a smooth and comfortable journey along the flyover, officials said.

Earlier, CDA had constructed two flyovers connecting downtown Bahoddarhat and Lalkhan Bazar neighbourhoods, in the city.

Meanwhile, Chattogram City Mayor Rezaul Karim expressed his concern over the construction setback and urged CDA to repair the broken roads for a comfortable journey of the city dwellers.

Recently, the mayor had held a meeting with the CMP traffic department and sought their help to improve traffic movement across the city.

Shamal Kumar Nath, Deputy Commissioner (Traffic) of Chattogram Metropolitan Police said the road width got narrowed with asphalts wiped out in many places because of the ongoing construction works resulting in a regular tailback in the city.

“We are asking CDA to complete works at one end at a time to mitigate traffic congestion and public suffering,” he said.

Managing traffic during the peak hour has become a challenge for the traffic police, Nath said, adding, CDA has assured the traffic department of considering the appeal ‘seriously.’

After connecting with two flyovers, the length of the expressway will be 20.5 km (from Bohoddarhat to Airport), which will help connect the greater suburban Chattogram with the main city, officials said.

The project has got six sections - Lalkhan Bazar to Dewan Haat (1,300 metres, four lane), Dewan Haat to Barik Building (2,000 metres four lane), Barik Building to Saltgola (2,900 metres four lane), Saltgola to Cement Crossing (3,150 metres four lane), Cement Crossing to Katgor (2,150 metres four lane), Katgor to VIP Road (2,350 metres) and Sea Beach to VIP Road (850 metres), respectively.

Mahfuzur said from Saltgola to Barik Building, the alignment of the pillars have been changed. And, the Chattogram port authorities had denied carrying out piling works in their constituency.

“We bought some port authority land to complete piling and it would enhance project cost.”