Home ›› National ›› Development
The construction of the Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway has progressed only 9.5 per cent in its first year, due to various setbacks that have plagued the project since its inception.
The project was initially launched in 2017 with a budget of Tk 16,901.32 crore, and a deadline of June 2022. However, construction work did not begin until October 2022, and the deadline has since been extended to June 2026, with a revised budget of Tk 17,553.04 crore.
The project’s implementer Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) sources said they set a target of completing 25 per cent of the work before the start of the next fiscal year.
However, the Chinese contractor, China National Machinery Import and Export Corporation (CMC), expects numerous obstacles in meeting this target.
One of the major challenges is the presence of overhead and underground electric wires and water lines of different service providers at the construction sites. These have not yet been removed, preventing construction work from starting in some places. Additionally, several structures in the project area have not been removed to provide space for construction.
Another challenge is that the Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway Project (DAEEP) authority has not yet handed over a construction yard at the Airport area, which is currently occupied by the Dhaka Elevated Expressway Project (DEEP).
Gu Feng, the senior manager of CMC, has stated that these complications are having an adverse effect on the construction work.
The Dhaka-Ashulia elevated expressway, a tolled road, is under construction from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Intersection through Abdullahpur-Ashulia-Baipayl to EPZ. The main flyover will be 24 kilometres long, and 16 ramps or connecting roads will be built to allow access from various points.
The expressway will begin just south of the Airport roundabout. It will follow existing main roads, with the exception of the first four kilometres where it will run parallel to the railway line.
An integral part of this project is connected with the under-construction 19.7 kilometres long Dhaka Elevated Expressway which will run from immediately south of the airport roundabout to the Dhaka Chittagong Highway at Kutubkhali.
Under this project, the existing two-lane road from Abdullahpur to Baipayl will be upgraded to a four-lane at-grade road. A significant toll plaza will be built between Dour and Ashulia.
The primary goal of constructing the expressway is to alleviate traffic congestion in and around the Dhaka-Ashulia areas and improve connectivity in the northern part of Dhaka. It will connect to the Asian Highway Network and all national highways. It will also allow trucks to travel to the industrial belts in Savar, DEPZ, Kaliakoir, and Gazipur during the day.
According to project officials, the expressway will connect the Dhaka-Chittagong highway, Dhaka-Sylhet, Dhaka-Mymensingh, Dhaka-Jamalpur, Dhaka-Manikganj-Tentulia, and Dhaka-Mawa-Barishal highways.
Construction is currently underway in various locations. However, the service lines of water, gas, and various service providers, as well as high and low-voltage power lines, have not yet been relocated to different areas of the project area. The entire project is being hampered by these underground and overhead service lines.
Most of the utility services are owned by the Desco, REB, BTCL, MRT, Summit, WASA, Titas, DMTCL, DNCC, PGCB and UPGD.
Regarding the project’s progress, Gu Feng stated that as of October 11, 1,261 piles have been completed, exceeding the target of 1,061. However, only 95 pile cap and beam works have been completed, falling short of the target of 115. Additionally, only 48 of the 122 targeted pier columns have been completed.
He alleged that the construction of piles, pile caps, pier caps, at-grade roads, and other infrastructure has been delayed in some areas due to TITAS gas pipes.
Delays in removing PGCB high voltage cables are also delaying pile construction and girder launching, while BREB and UPGD electricity poles and cables are also hampering work.
He further said that the 80-foot Right of Way (ROW) required by design is not available in some areas and that there is no space for utility relocation.
Regarding the progress of construction work, DAEEP Project Director Shahabuddin Khan said, “We have completed 9.5 per cent of the work since January of this year. We have instructed the contractor to complete 25 per cent of the work by June of next year.”
