Chattogram Bureau :
The four-lane elevated expressway from Lalkhan Bazar to Shah Amanat Airport is opening in October. More than 80 per cent of the 16km long and 16.5-metre wide infrastructure work has been completed.
Elevated expressway project was approved in July 2017 ECNEC meeting to decongest the city. The cost is estimated at 3 thousand 250 crore 83 lakh taka.
Bangladeshi contracting company Max and Chinese company Rankin jointly get 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 4 thousand 369 crore 7 lakh 10 thousand 819 taka. A direct connection of the city with South Chittagong will be established through the elevated expressway with the Karnaphuli tunnel.
Project Director of elevated expressway, Mahfuzur Rahman said, “There is a target to finish the work on time.
Out of 16km, 10km from airport to Nimtala has been completed. Casting has been completed in most places within 6km from Nimtala to Lalkhan Bazar. Railing work is going on.
From Patenga to Saltgola crossing vehicles are ready for movement. Work on three spans is in progress in the Barrick building area.
The work from Chaumuhani to Magistrate Colony area will be completed quickly.
According to Chowk 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 Beach area.
The width of this four-lane expressway will be 54 feet. There will be 2500 LED lights on the expressway.
“If the elevated expressway is built, you can go directly to Chattogram Shah Amanat Airport without any trouble.
Cox’s Bazar can be reached through Bangabandhu Tunnel. Elevated Expressway will be identified as a milestone project of Chattogram’s communication system,” he also said.