Navy-owned CDDL to develop Kanchpur bus terminal

The government on Wednesday approved in principle a proposal to award the development of the new bus terminal at Kanchpur in Narayanganj to Chittagong Dry Dock Limited (CDDL), a Bangladesh Navy-owned company, through the direct procurement method without inviting tenders.

The approval came at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Finance and Planning Adviser Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury at the Secretariat.

The terminal will replace the existing Saayedabad bus terminal as part of the government's plan to relocate four major intercity bus terminals outside Dhaka to modernise the capital's transport system and ease traffic congestion.

Under the relocation plan, the Gulistan-Fulbaria terminal will be shifted to Keraniganj, Gabtoli to Hemayetpur in Savar, and Mohakhali will initially move to Purbachal before being permanently relocated near Tongi. According to the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry, the Kanchpur terminal will be developed at an estimated cost of Tk 68.8 million. The project includes passenger sheds, 120 ticket counters, 32 toilets, office rooms, platforms and other supporting facilities.

Road Transport and Bridges State Minister Habibur Rashid, who recently visited the proposed site, said the government aims to complete the terminal within the next six months and make it operational to improve passenger services.

-HIS