Flyover at Bahodderhat intersection soon
The busy Bahodderhat intersection in the port city. The photo was taken on Sunday. A conceptual map of the flyover, inset.Photo: Zobaer Hossain Sikder
Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) will construct an flyover at the Bahodderhat intersection, the busiest entry point of the city, soon to get rid of the gridlock in the area. The flyover, first of its kind in the port city, would connect Bahodderhat intersection to CDA Avenue, Kalurghat Road and Shah Amanat Bridge Road. The authority would build the 1665-metre flyover at a cost of Tk 86 crore from its own fund. Ministry for Housing and Public Works had approved the development project proposal (DPP) for the overpass on October 29, sources said. Finance ministry is expected to approve the project within a week, they said. CDA would complete the construction in three years, said the sources. While talking to The Daily Star CDA Chairman Abdus Salam said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will lay the foundation of the flyover during her Chittagong visit to inaugurate the 3rd bridge on the river Karnaphuli soon. Salam said they are giving priority to the flyover project ahead of the inauguration of the 3rd Karnaphuli Bridge as with opening of the bridge, volume of vehicular movement would increase significantly. He said purpose of facilitating a quick and smooth movement of vehicles over the 3rd Karnaphuli bridge would not be achieved without construction of a flyover over the Bahodderhat intersection, which is already marked by unbearable gridlock. "Completion of the project would help establish a good communication linkage of the port city with South Chittagong and Cox's Bazar," he said. Sources said a flyover is needed as the vehicles from Kalurghat, Kaptai and Shah Amanat Bridge through as many as 17 routes of South Chittagong and Cox's Bazar are creating a serious congestion at Bahodderhat intersection. Besides, vehicles to and from nearby Kalurghat Industrial Area also contributes to the gridlock that hampers transportation of goods and commercial activities seriously. The flyover would not only ease traffic congestion but also save time and fuel consumption, they said. Sources at CDA said the flyover would comprise three parts -- a two-lane section stretching from the city to Kalurghat Road, a one-lane section from Shah Amanat Bridge Road to the city and a one-lane loop from the city to the Shah Amanat Bridge Road. The two-lane section would be 340 meter long and 9.60 meter wide. The length and width of the one-lane section from Shah Amanat Bridge to the city would be 345 meter and 6.60 meter respectively. The one-lane loop would have length of 690 meter and width of 6.60 meter. On the middle of the flyover there would be three-lane joint location where both the sections coming from Kalurghat Road and Shah Amanat Bridge Road would meet, they said. Length and width of the three-lane joint location would be 290 meter and 11.40 meter respectively. The flyover would have railings and footpaths with sufficient space in all the three sections and at the joint location. The two-lane section and three-lane joint location would also have medians, they said.
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