ZCZC
BSS-39
ELEVATED-EXPRESSWAY
56 pc of first phase construction of elevated expressway completed
DHAKA, June 25, 2020 (BSS) – About 56 percent construction of the first phase of the much-awaited Dhaka Elevated Expressway (DEE) from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Banani Railway Station has so far been completed.
“We are engaging workers, engineers and other related people with construction works of Dhaka Elevated Expressway (DEE) following health guidelines during the global COVID-19 pandemic,” Project Director of DEE AHMS Aktar told BSS here today.
He said as part of the global safety measures, main contractor of the elevated expressway constructed shades for workers adjacent to the sites.
Earlier, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said that Dhaka Elevated Expressway will play a significant role in the movement of heavy and other light motor vehicles easily.
“The government led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has undertaken various infrastructure projects to reduce sufferings and ensure smooth movement of people,” he said.
According to the project details, Italian Thai Development Public Company Limited has been awarded to construct the 46.73 kilometers elevated expressway from Airport to Kutubkhali under Public Private Partnership (PPP) system.
The first phase of Dhaka Elevated Expressway from Airport to Banani rail crossing is being implemented in full swing, while the second phase of the project from Banani Rail Station to Mogbazar railway crossing and the third phase from Kutubkhali on Dhaka-Chattogram Highway will be finished following the safety measures during the coronavirus outbreak.
Out of the total 46.73 kilometers elevated expressway including ramp, 19.73 kilometers will be main line, which will ensure smooth movement of motor vehicles without traffic, the project details said.
Construction of more than 1,304 working pile driving, 280 pile cap, 62 cross beam and 163 columns has been completed fully and 84 columns partially and 186 eye girder and two span eye girder have so far been completed, it said.
The 20 km Dhaka Elevated Expressway is being built at a cost of Taka 8,940.18 crore, which will connect Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport with Kutubkhali on the Dhaka-Chittagong highway via Kuril- Banani-Mohakhali-Tejgaon-Moghbazar-Kamalapur-Sayedabad-Jatrabari.
The Awami League government is constructing the metro rail for easy movement of city dwellers and the Padma Bridge to bring the southwestern part of the country under smooth communication system.
Meanwhile, construction of Dhaka-Bhanga expressway has already been completed, which is similar to expressway of Europe and America. Besides, a series of development projects are going on in the country for improving the communication network.
On February 25, 202, Direct and VGF agreements under the PPP Project for the construction of Dhaka Elevated Expressway were inked. To implement the previously singed loan agreement, lender, grantor and investor institutions singed the direct agreement while the Finance Division, lender, and investor institutions singed the VGF (viability gap funding) agreement.
Under the agreements, investor institutions Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of China and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) will disburse loan.
As per the new deadline, the construction work of its first phase — Airport to Banani Rail Station– will be completed by this October while the second phase, from Banani Rail Station to Moghbazar Railway crossing, will end by October next year.
The third and the final phase — from Moghbazar to Kutubkhali on Dhaka-Chattogram Highway — will be completed in October 2022.
BSS/SPL/SAS/KU/2024 HRS