Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday opened the 1,793-metres Mirpur-Airport flyover named after late President Zillur Rahman three months before schedule.
“With the inauguration of the Zillur Rahman flyover, a new era in the capital’s road communication has begun,” she told a gathering at the Golf Club auditorium in the city.
Hasina said the flyover was a gift to the residents of Dhaka in the month of Independence.
Local MP and Jatiya Party chief HM Ershad, Communications Minister Obaidul Quader and Army chief General Iqbal Karim Bhuiyan also graced the occasion.
At the beginning of the programme, a minute’s silence was observed in memory of Zillur Rahman who had passed away on Mar 20.
The project’s Director Brig Gen Abu Sayed Md Masud provided details about the flyover.
Before opening it for traffic, the Prime Minister went round it to inaugurate two plates at either end of the flyover.
The government hopes this flyover will considerably ease the traffic congestion in the capital, especially in the area leading to the airport.
Work on the flyover started in March 2010 and was supposed to be completed in June 2013. Obaidul Quader said on Monday that it would be possible to reach the airport from Mirpur in 20-25 minutes by traversing 3 kilometres instead of 11 kilometres now needed.
A total Tk 1.99 billion has been spent to construct this flyover. The cost of the entire project including the Banani rail crossing overpass comes to over Tk 3.6 billion.
The 16th Engineering Construction battalion of the Bangladesh army implemented this project under supervision of Roads and Highways division of the Communication Ministry.
Four “U” loops will be constructed on the road connecting Shahjalal airport and Bijoy Sarani to further ease traffic snarls, according to the Communications Ministry. The “U” loops will be located near the Army golf club, navy headquarters and Setu Bhaban to facilitate free flow of traffic to the airport.
Source: Bd news24
