A total of 64,751 motor vehicles moved from Kawla to Farmgate through the Dhaka Elevated Expressway and gave over Tk 52,52,240 as toll during the last 59 hours.
“Dhaka Elevated Expressway was opened for the public to ease the traffic congestion in the capital. ...the traffic movement through the expressway started at 6 am on Sunday,” AHMS Akter, project director of the Elevated Expressway, told the journalists, reports BSS.
“In the inaugural 59 hours of its operation, the Dhaka Elevated Expressway witnessed the passage of 64,751 vehicles travelling from Kawla to Farmgate,” he added.
During this period, toll collections amounted to over Tk 52,52,240 while Tk 18,52,880 was collected as tolls from the first 24 hours," Akter said.
It takes only 10-12 minutes to reach Farmgate from the airport through the expressway.
Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the much-awaited expressway's HSIA-Farmgate section, unveiling the inaugural plaque at the Old Trade Fair Ground of Sher-e-Bangla Nagar on Saturday.
Apart from pedestrians, three-wheelers, bicycles and motorbikes are not allowed to ply the expressway.
The length of this section is about 11.5 km with 15 ramps for boarding.
Out of these, two ramps situated at Banani and Mohakhali of Dhaka city will remain closed for the time being. The maximum speed limit for traffic on the expressway will be 60 km per hour.
The road transport and bridges ministry fixed the toll rates for the HSIA-Farmgate section ranging from Tk 80 to Tk 400.
Under Category 1, the toll rate for cars, taxis, jeeps, sports utility vehicles, microbus (under 16 seats) and light trucks (under 3 tonnes) is Tk 80.
The toll rate for medium trucks (up to six wheels) for crossing the route from any point is Tk 320 under Category 2.
Under Category 3, the toll rate for trucks (over six wheels) for crossing the route from any point is Tk 400. Meanwhile, the toll rate for any bus (16 seated or above) for crossing the route from any point is Tk 160 under Category 4.
