PM to open Dhaka Elevated Expressway 2 Sep, Bangabandhu Tunnel on 28 Oct
Metro Rail’s Agargaon-Motijheel portion will be inaugurated in mid-October and the Chattogram Bangabandhu tunnel will be inaugurated on 28 October
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is set to inaugurate the Airport-Farmgate part of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway on 2 September, said Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.
At a press briefing at Setu Bhaban in Dhaka, he also said the Bangabandhu Tunnel in Chattogram is scheduled to be inaugurated on 28 October by the prime minister.
"The Airport-to-Farmgate part of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway is ready for traffic. It will be opened to traffic the next day of the inauguration," said Quader.
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The elevated expressway will be 46.73km covering Kawla, Kuril, Banani, Mohakhali, Tejgaon, Moghbazar, Kamalapur, Sayedabad, Jatrabari to Kutubkhali on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway.
Initially, the speed limit on the expressway will be set at 60km per hour, which will allow vehicles to travel the 11km distance from the Dhaka airport to Farmgate in 10 minutes, he said.
With an 11.5km mainline and 11km ramp, the length of the part will be 22.5km.
Initially, 13 out of 15 ramps in this part will be opened. The ramps at Banani and Mohakhali will be opened once their construction is complete.
Three-wheelers, motorbikes, bicycles and pedestrians will not be allowed on the expressway.
The minister said no decision has been made regarding the amount of toll for vehicles using the expressway.
The project deadline is June 2024. So far, 65% work of the project has been completed.
Dhaka Elevated Expressway is the biggest Public Private Partnership project with a cost of Tk8940 crore.
In Monday's media briefing, the minister also said the Metro Rail's Agargaon-Motijheel part will be inaugurated in the middle of October.
No caretaker government, no prime minister resignation
In response to a question at the press briefing, Obaidul Quader said none of the American congressmen spoke about the caretaker government or the registration of Sheikh Hasina during their meeting with the political parties.
"No caretaker government, no resignation of the prime minister," said the general secretary of Awami League.
"The BNP holds 'rallies' whereas Awami League holds 'grand rallies'. Mirza Fakhrul seems to be in a daydream. Stop daydreaming.
Earlier, the BNP daydreamed that Khaleda Zia would come to power and Tareque Rahman would return to the country," he added.
He added, "Even if BNP does not participate in the election, there are many parties that can be the opposition. Elections will be competitive."
