Elevated Expressway Project in Dhaka

[Tmac]

1st phase of expressway starts shortly
Thai to help with fund, technical know-how
Rafiq Hasan

The government has decided to start construction of the first phase of a 20-km elevated expressway in the capital shortly with its own resources to ease the nagging traffic jam.

The estimated cost of construction of the 13-km stretch of the expressway from Gulistan to Kamal Ataturk Avenue at Banani is around Tk 1,218 crore. In the second phase, the rest seven km will be built at a cost of about Tk 705.53 crore, sources said.

The first-phase part of the expressway will have entry points at GolapShah Mazar, New Market, Sonargaon crossing, Rangs crossing and Kamal Ataturk Avenue

Originally, the expressway was supposed to begin from Jatrabari crossing. Later Jatrabari-Gulistan portion was dropped as Dhaka City Corporation decided to build a 3.5-km fly over at a cost of Tk 706 crore.

The expressway project will be implemented mainly with Thai financial and technical assistance.



The Ministry of Communications has decided to start implementing the project and sent the project proposal to the Planning Commission for final approval. The ministry expects to start the project early next year, sources said.

At least 30,000 vehicles will pass through the expressway an hour greatly reducing the number of vehicles on the roads, according to the project proposal.

The sources claimed that the elevated expressway will provide a 'permanent solution' to the huge traffic congestion in the capital city of 360 square km with around 12 million people and only 220 km roads. Vehicles carrying goods will also easily pass through the capital without affecting normal traffic, they said.

The Exim Bank of Thailand agreed to provide 60 per cent funds for the project as soft loan and the Thai government 20 per cent as technical support.

The Bangladesh government will provide the rest, according to the project proposal.

A three-member technical team from Thailand is likely to come to Dhaka soon for discussion on the project.

Two task forces formed in Bangladesh and Thailand to implement the project already held several meetings.

The concept of the elevated expressway first came up at talks during the Thai prime minister's visit to Bangladesh in 2002. An Italian-Thai development company then conducted a pre-feasibility study and submitted its report on December 10 of the same year.

Officials at the Roads and Highways Department said the elevated expressway is the cheapest solution to the existing traffic congestion.

The government has not abandoned the idea of an underground railway network in the capital, which is very costly. Hardly any investor came up for investment on such a huge project, they mentioned.

http://www.thedailystar.net/2004/12/22/d4122201044.htm

[kshatriya]

WOW! Amazing, so good to see they are focussing on infrastructure development!

[Suncity]

Yes, this is good news.

[centralized pandemonium]

Nice.

[skynet126]

What is the longest expressway in the world?

[centralized pandemonium]

Elevated, I don't know. BUt the longest 12-laned expressway is the 401 Canada.

[Tmac]

Elevated Expressway
Thai team due May 12
UNB, Dhaka

A high-powered Thai delegation will arrive in Dhaka by May 12 to prepare a 'plan of action' for constructing a two-storied elevated expressway connecting all important intersections in the capital.
The $400 million project has been conceived as part of government efforts to 'ease the capital city's traffic jam permanently', a preparatory meeting at the communications ministry with a Thai delegation was told yesterday.

The team will work out alignment and financing process for the 13-km expressway.

Discussion on the project was held at yesterday's meeting between Thai Ambassador Suphat Chitranukroh and Communications Minister Nazmul Huda.

During the visit, the high-powered delegation will meet the taskforce formed by the Bangladesh government, officials of the communications ministry and Roads and Highways Department and finalise the process.

Thai Exim Bank will support 60 percent while Thai and Bangladesh governments will equally share the remaining 40 percent of total cost of the project to be implemented in two phases.

http://www.thedailystar.net/2005/04/26/d50426012823.htm

[Zaki]

nice to see some development in dhaka

[Tmac]

http://www.bangladesh-web.com/news/v...00000000043836

Elevated expressway getting a final shape-Dhaka, Bangkok reach accord on key points

The much-talked-about Dhaka Elevated Expressway is now going to be a reality as both sides of Bangladesh and Thailand finally reached a consensus on some key points in the implementation of the mega project.

Narrowing down the differences in their earlier rigid respective positions, both the Bangladesh Task Force and Technical Team of Thailand have decided to resolve the remaining disagreements through negotiations for the sake of implementing such a huge project aimed at reducing the intolerable traffic congestion in the capital city of Dhaka.

In order to settle the remaining disagreements, both the Bangladesh Task Force and the Technical Team of Thailand will sit in a meeting on May 12 to discuss elaborately and finalise the project. The technical committee from Thailand will visit Bangladesh from May 12.

BSS adds: Communications Minister Barrister Nazmul Huda on Saturday said the government would create a 317 million dollar funds for building a two-tier elevated expressway in the capital, said a press release.

It was disclosed at an inter-ministerial meeting at the communications ministry with Barrister Nazmul Huda in the chair.

Barrister Huda said the taskforce comprising representatives from the Thai government and the Thai Exim Bank is scheduled to visit Dhaka on May 11 and 12 to reach an understanding with the senior finance ministry officials on how to create the funds.

The minister said the government will seek loans from the Thai Exim Bank at a concessional interest rate and also grant from the Thai government to build the elevated expressway.

Although both the sides agreed on many points, the interest rate for the borrowed loans has not yet been mentioned by the Thai side. Bangladesh task force would try to fix the interest rate at below 5.73 per cent and in case of proposed 20 per cent Thai government loan (if no grant) the interest rate may be less than two per cent.

The forthcoming meeting is likely to discuss the whole alignment of the proposed project including implementation of phase two. Although the pre-feasibility study of the phase-I has already been done by the Thai Engineering Company Ltd., Bangladesh Task Force will request the Thai team to undertake the pre-feasibility study of the revised locations including phase-II.

Thai side had earlier expressed its willingness to provide 60 per cent commercial borrowing from Thai Exim Bank and Government of Bangladesh would provide the rest 40 per cent. But Bangladesh Task Force would insist on having 20 per cent as the contribution from the government of Bangladesh and the rest 20 per cent as Thai government grant or soft loan, according to communications ministry sources.

“The Task Force of Bangladesh will try to fix the repayment period as 20 years,” said a competent source in the communications ministry, adding that the task force may also discuss that the utilities like gas, electricity, telephone, WASA etc. would be removed by the contractor under the project as per relocation programme and design of the affected organisations.

However, both sides agreed to implement the projects in two phases as ADP project instead of BOT basis.

During the visit of the Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinwatra in August 2002, the two prime ministers agreed to boost cooperation between private sectors of the two countries in several areas, including construction of elevated expressway in Dhaka.

A project concept paper was submitted to the planning commission for the revised route from Kamal Ataturk Avenue to Mohakhali Flyover to Sonargaon intersection to New market to Katabon to Fulbaria to Gulistan (Golpashah majar) to second Buriganga bridge for Phase one. The length of the proposed alignment is 13.00 km and the approximate construction cost is 203 million US dollars. In phase 2, it is proposed to construct from Kamal Ataturk Avenue to Progati Sarani for a length of 7.00 km with an estimated cost of 118 million US dollars.

The proposed elevated expressway which will also link Jatrabari interchange to the airport, will be a four-lane viaduct over the existing roads and its foundation will be placed on the central median at an interval of 30-35 m.

[Tmac]

this thread should be moved to Heritage, Tourism and Infrastructure in Bangladesh sub forum.

[snoq]

Govt revives elevated expressway project
The caretaker government has revived the plan to erect a two-storied elevated expressway in Dhaka on the basis of BOT (build-operate-and transfer) to lessen the capital's perennial traffic congestion, a top official said. "We'll send the proposal of the elevated expressway to the Board of Investment by September to scrutinise it," communications secretary Mahbubur Rahman told the FE Sunday.

Rahman said an international tender would also be floated shortly to woo the potential investor for the project, the cost of which is estimated at US$ 321 million.

He added that if the communications ministry found the findings of a feasibility study on the proposed project "favourable", it would step up its efforts to attract the private sector to construct the elevated expressway.
A source at the communications ministry said the communications ministry has assigned the Italian-Thai Development Company Limited to carry out the feasibility study and submit it to the government.

"The company will share the major highlights of its study with the ministry officials on September 10. Then the ministry will decide its subsequent course of action," the source added.

The source at the communications ministry said an expert team of Italian-Thai is scheduled to arrive in the city on September 08 to hold talks with officials of the government agencies and local financial institutions. The communications secretary acknowledged that the proposed project has remained in limbo for several years.

Although he preferred to keep mum about the politico-bureaucratic tangle, Rahman attributed the delay to the Thai government's indecision of financing the project. Earlier, the Thai Exim Bank agreed to extend 60 percent in loan while Thai and Bangladesh governments was suppose to equally share the residual 40 percent of total cost of the project.

Officials say the elevated expressway will provide a "breathing space" for the city dwellers who have continued to suffer from Dhaka's perennial traffic jam. With an estimated 12 million people, Dhaka is considered one of the fastest-growing mega cities in the world, but it has only 220 kilometres roads. According to the original project proposal, the 20-kilometre-long expressway, to be built in two phases, was supposed to take six years to complete.

The first phase, around 13 kilometres of expressway with a four-lane viaduct over the existing roads, will be constructed at a cost of around $203 million. In the first phase, the revised route will extend from Kemal Ataturk Avenue to Second Buriganga Bridge via Mohakhali flyover to the Sonargaon crossing to New Market via Katabon-Phulbaria-Gulistan (Golpashah Majar), according to a project concept paper submitted to the planning commission.On the other hand, the expressway will have exit points at Golapshah Mazar, Nilkhet, New Market and the Sonargaon crossing.

The first phase of the project is scheduled to be completed in three-years from the beginning of construction, said a Roads and Highway official. The official added the second phase of the elevated expressway, the cost of which is estimated at $118 million, will stretch from Kemal Ataturk Avenue (Banani) to Pragati Sarani. It can take another three years to complete construction of the second phase.

At least 30,000 vehicles will be able to pass through the expressway an hour, thereby reducing the number of vehicles on the roads, according to the project proposal.

The estimated toll revenue from the elevated expressway is Tk 300 million a year.The idea of erecting the elevated expressway first came up at the official parley between Dhaka and Thailand during the then Thai premier's visit to Bangladesh in 2002.

Since then, two taskforces have worked out on the alignment and investment for the project and several rounds of official and technical level meetings have been held. Later, the Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited had carried out a pre-feasibility study on the proposed overpass and submitted its report in December 2002.


http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.co...s&news_id=9915

[Tmac]

snoq now this is what I call an exciting news. I really hope this gets done. It would instantly take care of some traffic issues.

[meghnarmajhi]

Wow

[mirzazeehan]

This is a fantastic decision by the CG! I just hope they can implement it and get all the legal procedures completed fast.

[zayiaf62089]

Is this the same elevated expressway said to be built on the rangs bhaban space or is that some other type of expressway.

[tanzirian]

Thanks for the update Snoq. Hopefully the funding for such large venture is fully worked out before construction is initiated. I am assuming Thai govt will get something out of this...percentage of toll I suppose...if so for how many years I wonder?

[tareq79]

really exciting...hope it comes into being.

[Tmac]

Elevated expressway in city under review

The government is actively considering various steps to remove traffic jam from the city by introducing different modes of transportation including elevated expressway.

Additional secretary of the communication ministry ATKM Ismail Hossain told the state-run news agency that the government was actively considering construction of expressway around the capital city to ease the traffic congestion.

Besides, he said, the government is also contemplating introduction of monorail system, elevated light train system and underground rail system to smoothen the city’s communication to the greater benefit of the commuters.

Official sources said the communication ministry was examining a proposed project submitted by the Italian-Thai Development Public Ltd, a Thai-based company, to set up the elevated expressway in Dhaka city.

They said the company proposed to construct a total of 30-km expressway in three phases with 10 toll boxes and 10 exit points in six years at an estimated cost of Tk 7,700 crore.

In the first phase, 11 km of the expressway will be constructed in two and half years from Shahinbagh in the southern part of Mohakhali flyover to Jatrabari via Sonargaon Hotel intersection, Kataban, New Market, Nilkkhet and Gulistan.

In the second phase, 7-km of the expressway will start from Jatrabari and connect itself with the Sonargaon intersection via Sayedabad, Kamlapur and Moghbazar.

In the last phase, 12-km of the expressway starting from Abdullahpur near the river Turag will connect itself with the previous two routes via Zia International Airport and Tejgaon old airport.

The average height of the expressway will be 4.75 meters from the city’s existing roads and 100,000 motorised vehicles will be able to ply it everyday, the officials said quoting the proposal.

They also said that Italian-Thai Development Public Ltd Company carried out a feasibility study in Dhaka city in 2002 for setting up the expressway.

Ismail Hossain said present government recently communicated with the company and he has been keeping contact with it in this regard.

http://www.newagebd.com/met.html

[TIslam]

Originally Posted by Tmac

[B]
The government has not abandoned the idea of an underground railway network in the capital, which is very costly.
http://www.thedailystar.net/2004/12/22/d4122201044.htm

While underground mass transit may be cost prohibitive, MRT/LRT should be doable. Traffic congestion in Manila used to be as ridiculous as Dhaka's (I used to go there regular). I do not know how much their new LRT has contributed to lessen the congestion but I hear it is a great success.

[meghnarmajhi]

Dhaka is only about 10ft sea level. I think underground is out of way.... till we have a lot of money and/or technology. What about floods?