Hatikumrul interchange nears completion in Sirajganj
The country’s largest modified cloverleaf interchange at Hatikumrul in Sirajganj is nearing completion, raising hopes for faster and safer road communication between northern and southern Bangladesh.
Meanwhile, around 62 percent of the project work has already been completed, and officials believe the remaining work will be finished within the scheduled deadline of August 31.It is expected that the interchange will be formally inaugurated on December 16.
Dr Md Waliur Rahman, Additional Chief Engineer of the RHD and Project Director of the SASEC-II project, told The New Nation, “The Hatikumrul Interchange, being built at the Hatikumrul intersection in Sirajganj on the western side of the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge, known as the gateway to the northern region, is expected to be officially launched on December 16.
Construction work is now almost at the final stage. All service lanes have already been completed and opened to traffic. As a result, transport drivers and commuters have already started benefiting from the project. Ahead of the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha, the direct ramp for vehicles traveling from Dhaka to Bogura and Rangpur will also be opened.”
He further said, “Intelligent Transport System (ITS) technology is being introduced in this project for the first time. The interchange will also have its own solar power system and resting facilities for passengers and drivers. Alongside this, there will be separate lanes for motorcycles and bicycles. Therefore, there will be no risk of head-on collisions between vehicles in the lanes. Besides, there will be little scope for traffic congestion in the interchange area.”
“Meanwhile, work on the highly prioritized project, involving around Tk 743 crore, is nearing completion,” he added. “Once opened fully, it will be considered the most beautiful interchange in the country,” he added.
Mahbubur Rahman, Project Manager of the SASEC Road Development Project-II, said, “Once this project, based on the country’s most modern technology, is launched, road accidents will decrease while business and trade activities will accelerate, positively impacting the national economy. As a result, this modern technology-based project will bring greater speed and safety to communication between the north and south.”
The Hatikumrul Interchange is expected to play a vital role in national and regional communication, trade, and freight transportation after the completion of its construction. It is considered a highly important junction for vehicle movement between 22 districts in the northern and southwestern parts of the country.
The interchange is located at the junction of three national highways – D-5, D-405, and D-507 – and has direct connections with 10 major land ports, four airports, and four river ports, officials said.
According to sources at the Roads and Highways Department (RHD), the international-standard modified cloverleaf interchange is being constructed under Work Package-13 of the SASEC-II project to reduce traffic congestion, increase road safety, and improve passenger services. The interchange will allow vehicles from different directions to move smoothly and uninterruptedly, thereby reducing travel time and increasing the efficiency of the transport system.
The project also includes underpasses, walkways, and bus bays at junction points to facilitate and ensure the safe movement of local residents. In addition, a highway service area and an operation and maintenance (O&M) building are being constructed for the Hatikumrul Interchange.
Chinese contractor China Railway Construction Bridge Engineering Bureau Group Co. Ltd. is implementing the construction work and plans to carry out maintenance activities for the next six years following the completion of the three-year construction period, the sources added.
