Extension now up to Shah Amanat Bridge

The elevated expressway, which was supposed to be constructed from Lalkhan Bazar area to Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong city, will now stretch up to Shah Amanat Bridge of the city.

A new Development Project Proposal (DPP) was sent to the Ministry of Housing and Public Works on September 8 in this regard, said officials of Chittagong Development Authority (CDA), the project's implementing organisation.  

Earlier, on January 30, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone of the project titled “Construction of Elevated Expressway”.

The length of the expressway was 16.5km with an estimated budget of about Tk 3,200 crore, said CDA officials, adding, now the length would be about 25km and the cost -- Tk 5,200 crore.

The expressway would spread from the airport to the bridge (about 20km) through Barik Building area, from there it will go up to Lalkhan Bazar (about 5km), they added.

According to the new DPP, the project will start around 2017 and finish by 2020, said CDA officials.

The changes have been brought as per the prime minister's direction, they said.

While talking to The Daily Star, Abdus Salam, CDA chairman, said the project would be implemented as per the ministry's decision. Once the project is implemented, the traffic congestion of the city would be reduced, he said.

Moreover, the project will create a connection with the proposed Karnaphuli tunnel and play a vital role to utilise the potentiality of south Chittagong, he said, adding, there will also be a direct connection from south Chittagong to the port.