CHATTOGRAM, May 17: The partial opening of the 16.5 km long Mohiuddin Chowdhury CDA Elevated Expressway, the longest one in the country, is set to be partially opened for traffic in June, according to Mahfuzur Rahman, director of the project and executive engineer of the Chattogram Development Authority (CDA).
But it was officially inaugurated in November 2023 by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina via video conference.
"Vehicular traffic is expected to run from Patenga point to Tigerpass point at the end of June," he said.
"Presently, installation of lighting system is going on," he said.
He also hoped that the installation of lights would be completed within one month.
Just after completion of the lighting system, the expressway will be opened for vehicular traffic from Patenga to Batali Hills.
Later on the entire expressway from Patenga point to Lalkhan Bazar will be completed at the end of the current year, CDA sources confirmed.
The opening of the expressway is expected to improve communication in the port city by facilitating access to the Bangabandhu Tunnel and reducing traffic congestion.
A total of 15 ramps between the two ends of the 16 kilometres long structure will be constructed.
In November last year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Tk 43 billion expressway, the second of its kind in Bangladesh after one in Dhaka, stretching from Lalkhan Bazar to Shah Amanat International Airport.
The project authorities plan to submit a toll rate proposal to the government for approval, and toll collection will commence accordingly if the proposal is granted, Mahfuzur Rahman added.
Originally approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council in 2017 with an estimated cost of Tk 32.5 billion and a completion period of three years, the project faced delays in its construction timeline.
Prime Minister Hasina inaugurated the construction in February 2019 after the work began in the middle of 2018. In 2022, the projects duration was extended until June 2024, with an additional Tk 10.48 billion allocated to the project cost.
Named after the late Mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, the expressway is designed to connect the airport, Patenga, Chattogram port, EPZ, and Agrabad areas to the centre of the city.
To facilitate the ramp construction, CDA had informed Chattogram City Corporation of their plan to start construction, allowing the city corporation to relocate utility lines from the construction sites.
Fifteen ramps are planned for the expressway, with the majority (four) located in Agrabad.
The Expressway will boost economic activities by improving connectivity between the Chattogram Port and the Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport.
The project had been taken up aiming to improve communication between Chattogram city, south Chattogram, and upazilas, reducing travel time and expenses for commuters, and facilitating movement to and from the Chattogram Port and Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport.
A Chinese company named Max-Rankin Joint Venture was tasked with the responsibility to complete the construction of the project. The Expressway is expected to ease traffic congestion in the city and reduce travel time to and from the airport.
Presently it takes two to three hours from Airport to the city. With the completion of the project, it will take only 30 minutes to cross the distance. The updated cost of the project is Taka 4,298.95 crore, and the deadline has been shifted to June 2024, after two extensions.
The 16.5 km elevated expressway will be a four-lane path with a total width of 16.5 metres. With the ramps, the total length of the expressway will be 28.5 km.
The ramps will facilitate entry and exit at Tigerpass, Agrabad, Barik Building, Nimtala Biswa Road, customs area, CEPZ, Karnaphuli EPZ, Katghar area, the sea beach and airport intersections.
