Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway, which is expected to facilitate quick entry and exit of vehicles to and from Dhaka, will come into operation in June 2026, said Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.

The minister revealed the deadline today after inaugurating the pilot pile boring of "static load test" of the 24 km long expressway at a programme at Dhaour in the outskirts of the capital today.

Once built, the second elevated expressway centring Dhaka, will connect Hazrat Shahjahal International Airport with Abdullahpur, Ashulia, Baipail, and Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ) on the Nabinagar-Chandra highway. Vehicles will have to pay toll, said the project officials.

The total cost of the project is Tk 16,901 crore. China will provide 65 percent of the costs as soft loans.

The government approved the project in October 2017 and was supposed to complete it by June next year. But China was delaying the funds, officials said.

Quader today said there are no fund-related problems now.

The government is currently building a Dhaka Elevated Expressway to connect the airport with Dhaka-Chattogram Highway, and as per the revised deadline, the 20 km expressway will come into operation in June 2023.