Country’s maiden expressway opens to traffic today

The country’s first-ever Dhaka-Mawa Expressway is all set to open to traffic today (Thursday).

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the Tk 110-billion elevated highway from her Gonobhaban residence through videoconferencing at 11:00 am.

The launch of the road marks Mujib Year, the birth centenary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the founding president of Bangladesh.

The thruway has been built to establish an uninterrupted link between Dhaka and Mawa jetty to get connected with Padma Bridge.

Sources said the PM will also open an eight-kilometre approach road to Karnaphuli tunnel and 22 bridges upgraded under western zones bridge upgrade scheme.

Initially, a Dhaka-Mawa four-lane project was launched in 2016, but it was upgraded in 2017 to build a 55-kilometre expressway.

The project was redesigned to ensure smooth as well as uninterrupted vehicular movement, anticipating a rise in the volume of traffic on completion of Padma Bridge.

The project cost was hiked up to Tk 103.64 billion from the primarily projected Tk 62.52 billion.

The project planned to upgrade 31.7 kilometres from Jatrabari to Mawa, 3.0km from Babubazar to Ekuria and 20km from Panchhor to Bhanga with different facilities.

It will have a five-metre central reservation, two service roads for slow-moving vehicles, three bridges over Dhaleswari and Arial Kha along with 28 culverts and bridges, flyovers and railroad overpasses.

However, many of the structures at different points are yet to be completed.

smunima@yahoo.com