DHAKA: Road Transport and Bridges minister Obaidul Quader said Dhaka elevated expressway will be opened to traffic in 2018 in a bid to ease traffic congestion in the capital.

The minister came up with the comment after inaugurating construction work of the main structure of 19.73-kilometer expressway at Kawla near to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in city around 11:30am Sunday.

Quader said the expressway will be open to traffic in 2018. After that the city dwellers will get relief from nagging traffic jam, the minister hoped.



The second and third phases construction works of the project are underway which will be complete on June 16 of 2016, he also informed the reporters.

Passengers can reach their destinations easily through the expressway. But drivers will have to pay toll. The government will later fix the rate of toll, said officials concerned.

Bangladesh Bridges authority implemented the project financed by Italian-Thailand Development Public Company Ltd (Ital-Thai Company).



The expressway stretching from Uttara to Kutubkhali of Kamalapur is being constructed at a cost of Tk 8,940.18-crore.

The expressway starts at Shahjalal International Airport and runs through Banani, Mohakhali, Tejgaon and Moghbazar to Kamalapur Railway Station.

Moreover, it will connect Dhaka-Chittagong Highway near Kutubkhali via Golapbagh and Jatrabari of the city.

BDST: 1638 HRS, AUG 16, 2015
RS/RR/SMS