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Part of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway, the first paid expressway under the PPP model, is finally going to be opened to traffic by September with an eye to easing the city's congestion to a great extent.
The asphalt work on the 11-kilometre expressway from Kawla near Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Farmgate is almost done more than 12 years after the concessionaire agreement between private and public parties.
The total 19.73-kilometre expressway will be built from HSIA to Kutubkhali on Dhaka-Chattogram highway touching 31 city points through ramps to get entry and exit of city and highway traffic after the completion of the project by June 2024.
Along with 31 ramps, the total length of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway (DEE) will be 46.73 km.
Road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader declared the opening of part of the expressway by September after driving over the asphalt elevated road from Kawla to Tejgaon on Saturday.
Bridges secretary M Monjur Hossain and project director AHMS Aktar were present there.
Mr Quader said congestion would be eased after completion of the expressway, which will cross over the city from HSIA to Kutubkhali on Dhaka-Chattogram highway.
He said the completed part would be formally inaugurated in September by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
"The DEE is the first in the country like MRT, BRT and Karnaphuli Tunnel during the incumbent government. If we win in the next election, new infrastructure projects like circular roads and subways will be undertaken in the country," he told reporters at Tejgaon point.
The DEE project was taken after the ruling Awami League came to power in 2009.
The Italian-Thai Public Development Corporation Ltd and the BBA signed the first concessionaire agreement of Tk 89.40 billion on 19 January 2011.
But the contract was revised on 15 December 2013 due to rearrangement of ramps of the DEE for various reasons mainly to integrate with the MRT Line-06.
Although Italian-Thai was the main concessionaire of the project, it, however, signed a subcontract with two Chinese firms on 30 March 2019 after failing to manage funds for investing in the project till 2018.
Though the revised contract was signed in 2013, the project work commenced on 01 January 2020 after the China Exim Bank and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China provided loans of $461 million and $400 million respectively to the project.
The government's contribution to the project is Tk 24.13 billion as viability gap funding.
The private partner of the PPP project is supposed to complete the project in three and a half years to enjoy tolls for the next 21 and a half years.
The ready part of the DEE will have more than 11 ramps from HSIA to Farmgate, including three entry and exit points at Airport, three at Kuril, three in Banani and two in Bijoy Sarani.
Driving through the asphalt elevated road on Saturday, the FE found the infrastructure is ready for driving on but its finishing touches are yet to be completed. Toll booths at all entry and exit points were set up.
Talking to Mohammad Abul Kalam, bridges engineer of independent engineering firm Euroconsult Mott MacDonald, said this part of the DEE has still work of bituminous, power supply and drainage system to be completed.
The DEE has been planned for implementation in three phases - from HSIA to Banani in the first phase, Banani rail gate to Moghbazar in the second phase and Moghbazar to Kutubkhali in the third phase.
According to the progress report shared on the occasion, 97.28 per cent work of the first tranche was completed while 54.22 per cent of the second tranche was completed.
Amid challenges of taking forward the elevated structure after Moghbazar, the BBA recorded 5.67-per cent progress in the third tranche.
Recently, the Dhaka North and South city corporations have also demanded changes in the design at different points mainly at the extended part of Hatirjheel.
Regarding the city corporation's objection, Mr Quader said the prime minister has been dealing with this.
Replying to a query, the minister said only four wheelers will be the users of the DEE which include private cars, buses and trucks and lorries.
But motorcycles and three wheelers would not be allowed on the DEE as its driving speed limit is more than 80 kilometres per hour, he added.
smunima@yahoo.com