CHATTOGRAM, Nov 14: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated a total of 17 development projects including Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) of Chattogram Port Authority and 16.5 km long Elevated Expressway in Chattogram on Tuesday.
She opened and laid foundation stones of the development projects from her official Ganabhaban residence through video conferencing.
In Chattogram, three development projects of the Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) and one of the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) involving Taka 6000 crore were opened.
The CDA projects are -16.5 km-long Chattogram Elevated Expressway, Foujderhat-Bayezid Link Road, Bakalia Express Road.
The CDA projects were named after former city mayor ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury, Jane Alam Donash and Bangamata Fazilatunnesa Mujib.
The elevated expressway in Chattogram was constructed at a cost of Tk 4,298.95 crore.
The CPA constructed the Patenga Container Terminal at a cost of Tk 1,230 crore with its own finance. Nine multi-storied residential buildings were built having 684 flats for government employees and officials;
Residential flat and dormitory, construction of Chattogram Medical University, construction of district social service complex, construction of gas transmission pipeline at Moheshkhali, Moheshkhali-Anowara gas transmission parallel pipeline project, Anowara-Fouzderhat gas transmission pipeline project, Chattogram-Feni Bakhrabad Gas transmission pipeline project, Amanullah Bhuiyan Community Complex at Mirsarai, Construction of gas pipeline for Mirsarai Economic Zone, KGDCL gas distribution network upgradation project etc.
The elevated expressway has been named as 'Mayor Mohiuddin Chowdhury CDA Expressway' after the name of the former Mayor of Chattogram. The Bakalia Access Roas was named as Jane Alam Dobash Road, former MP and father of the existing CDA Chairman, Fouzderhat-Bayezid Link road after the name of "Bangamata Sheikh Fazilatunnesa Mujib Road.
The CDA has taken up the project, elevated expressway for Port City to ease the existing traffic congestion to facilitate smooth communication with 16.5 -kilometre route running from the historic Lalkhan Bazaar to the Shah Amanat International Airport.
A Chinese company named Max-Rankin Joint Venture was tasked with the responsibility to complete the construction of the project. The Expressway is expected to ease traffic congestion in the city and reduce travel time to and from the airport.
Presently it takes two to three hours from Airport to the city. With the completion of the project, it will take only 30 minutes to cross the distance. The updated cost of the project is Taka 4,298.95 crore, and the deadline has been shifted to June 2024, after two extensions.
The 16.5 km elevated expressway will be a four-lane path with a total width of 16.5 metres. It will have 24 ramps at nine points from Lalkhan Bazar to the airport. With the ramps, the total length of the expressway will be 28.5 km.
