Tk 739cr projects to improve Ctg road network
Vehicles get stuck in a gridlock at the GEC intersection on Tuesday.Photo: Zobaer Hossain Sikder
Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) has taken several projects worth over Tk 739 crore to rid the city of gridlocks and develop road network in the port city in the wake of increasing number of vehicles as well as population. The projects -- construction of five flyovers at busy intersections, expansion of five roads and construction of a new road -- are scheduled to be completed within 2013. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone of the flyovers at a ceremony on January 2. CDA initially will construct a 1665 meter-long flyover at Bahodderhat intersection at a cost of Tk 86.5 crore to be completed by 2011, said CDA Chairman Abdus Salam. Salam said a tender has already been invited for recruiting consultant for the Bahodderhat flyover. He hoped to complete all the projects within next three years. The flyovers will be built at a cost of Tk 260 crore on Bahodderhat, Muradpur, Sholoshahar 2 No. Gate, GEC and Kadamtali intersections. Of the intersections, four are located on the CDA Avenue. Vehicles from Patiya, Anwara, Banskhali, Lohagar Satkania, Bandarban, Cox's Bazar and Teknaf enter the city through the Bahodderhat intersection creating a serious traffic jam at the point. The traffic situation would be deteriorated after the inauguration of the 3rd Karnaphuli Bridge in the middle of this year. With increasing number of vehicles, traffic is becoming difficult since the total traffic system depends on the lone thoroughfare stretching from Kalurghat to Patenga. Vehicles from Dhaka, northern parts of the district, Rangamati, Khagrachhari, southern parts of the district as well as Bandarban and Cox's Bazar are to cross the road as there is no alternative way to the city. City dwellers especially office goers, students and garment workers face the intolerable sufferings while travel to their destinations due to acute gridlock at all the points across the city. The traffic jam is now a common scene at Bahodderhat, Muradpur, Sholoshahar 2 No. Gate, GEC, Dewanhat, Choumuhony, Agrabad Badamtali, Saltgola Crossing and EPZ Moor (Free Port). Apart from this, New Market, Chawbazar, Station Road, Kadamtali, Badurtala Road, Pathantuli, Patharghata, Madarbari remain gridlocked all the day. Al Mamun, resident of Mohra of Kalurghat who crosses the Bahodderhat point everyday to go to his office at Agrabad, said he is to remain stuck in vehicle for over 30 minutes here for intolerable congestion. It takes around one and half an hours to reach the office due to gridlock at different points, Mamun said. Commuters said with the construction of the Bahodderhat flyover, the traffic congestion will only be shifted to Muradpur, Sholoshahar and GEC. CDA Chairman Salam said, “To avert such a problem we have planned to build three other flyovers at the next three busy points.” “We will also construct a flyover at Kadamtali to make an alternative way to Dewanhat over bridge, the only route for most of the vehicles,” he said. CDA has also taken plans to expand and renovate five important roads at a cost of Tk 307.11 crore with a view to improving the road network in the port city. The roads are Dewanhat-Olonker Road, Pathantuly Road, DC Road (Didar Market-Mousumi Residential Area), Oli Khan-Muradpur Road and Sagarika Road. A new road stretching from Sirajdoullah Road to Shah Amanat Bridge will be constructed for expansion and development of secondary road network of the city. People living on the other side of the river Karnaphuli will easily be able to enter the city without any congestion at Patharghata area after construction of the new road, said Salam. The Development Project Proposal (DPP) for expansion of Pathantuly Road and Oli Khan-Muradpur Road has been sent to the Planning Commission on December 2 last year after approval of the Housing and Public Works Ministry on October 10 the same year, said the CDA sources. DPPs of three other expansion projects will be sent to the ministry soon.
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