CHATTOGRAM, Aug 29: The trial operation of the 16.5km long CDA Elevated Expressway, the longest elevated expressway in the country, began since Wednesday last for traffic, said Mahfuzur Rahman, Executive Engineer of Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) and director of the project.
Currently the private cars and microbuses will ply on the esxpressway, he said. Engineer Mahfuz said that the CDA had sought permission from the Ministry of Works for opening the Expressway for traffic movement fully.
"After getting approval from the Ministry, the total expressway will be opened for traffic," he said.
Presently, the cars and microbuses will ply from Tigerpass to Patenga directly, Mahfuz said. He also said that the construction rams in different portions of the expressway yet to be completed. But it was officially inaugurated in November 2023. "Presently, installation of lighting system has already been completed on the expressway," he said.
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 Karnaphuli Tunnel and reducing traffic congestion.
A total of 15 ramps between the two ends of the 16 kilometres long structure have been constructed.
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.
The construction works were inaugurated in February 2019 after the work began in the middle of 2018.
In 2022, the project's duration was extended until June 2024, with an additional Tk 10.48 billion allocated to the project cost.
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.
