Dhaka-Ctg six-lane expressway on cards
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Front PageDhaka-Ctg six-lane expressway on cards
Communications ministry finalises proposal
Rejaul Karim Byron
The communications ministry has proposed to build a six-lane Dhaka-Chittagong Expressway under public-private partnership (PPP) initiative.
The proposal for the expressway, to be operated on a build, own, operate and transfer (Boot) model, will be placed at a meeting of the cabinet committee on economic affairs tomorrow.
According to the proposal, if the expressway is built on an elevated level its cost will be $6.1 billion, and if it is constructed at ground level, the cost will be $2.2 billion.
After completing the construction work of the expressway, it will be operated exclusively on the basis of toll collection.
The government has already started preparing a detail design of the expressway with financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
A technical assistance project of Tk 97-crore has been taken by the government for preparing a design of the expressway. The ADB will provide Tk 73 crore as loan for the design, which will be completed by May 31, 2016.
Under a separate loan arrangement from the ADB, a joint venture of SNC-Lavalin, SAI Consulting Engineers Pvt Ltd and Consulting Engineers Ltd India & Associates conducted a detailed study from 2006 to 2008.
The study suggested constructing three routes for the expressway with a four-lane in the first phase and a six-lane in the next phase.
Though the study was completed in 2008, the cabinet committee on economic affairs in October 2009 took a decision, in principle, to implement the project under the PPP.
But no progress in implementing the project has been made so far.
A communications ministry official said the ADB in early 2011 sent a letter to the principal secretary of the prime minister emphasising the importance of implementing the project.
In May 2011, the ADB, in presence of the then communications minister, highlighted different aspects of the project through a power point presentation.
In December last year, the technical assistance project had been undertaken to prepare the detailed design of the expressway with the financial assistance from the ADB.
According to the ADB study, almost 90 percent of the country's total imports and exports are transported through the Dhaka-Chittagong highway.
Sixty percent of the vehicles using the highway are goods carrier while 27 percent carry passengers. The number of transports on the route will increase by 1.5 times or be double in the next five years.
The study also said it takes around eight to 10 hours-long ride or sometimes even more to cross the 250-kilometre highway.
The long, strenuous journey on the route means a huge waste of vehicle fuel as well as people's working hours. Besides, the shipments of goods are being delayed due to long queues of vehicles on the highway.
The study also suggested constructing a four-lane highway on the route by 2016, a six-lane by 2027 and an eight-lane expressway by 2034.
Saturday, February 23, 2013
Front PageDhaka-Ctg six-lane expressway on cards
Communications ministry finalises proposal
Rejaul Karim Byron
The communications ministry has proposed to build a six-lane Dhaka-Chittagong Expressway under public-private partnership (PPP) initiative.
The proposal for the expressway, to be operated on a build, own, operate and transfer (Boot) model, will be placed at a meeting of the cabinet committee on economic affairs tomorrow.
According to the proposal, if the expressway is built on an elevated level its cost will be $6.1 billion, and if it is constructed at ground level, the cost will be $2.2 billion.
After completing the construction work of the expressway, it will be operated exclusively on the basis of toll collection.
The government has already started preparing a detail design of the expressway with financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB).
A technical assistance project of Tk 97-crore has been taken by the government for preparing a design of the expressway. The ADB will provide Tk 73 crore as loan for the design, which will be completed by May 31, 2016.
Under a separate loan arrangement from the ADB, a joint venture of SNC-Lavalin, SAI Consulting Engineers Pvt Ltd and Consulting Engineers Ltd India & Associates conducted a detailed study from 2006 to 2008.
The study suggested constructing three routes for the expressway with a four-lane in the first phase and a six-lane in the next phase.
Though the study was completed in 2008, the cabinet committee on economic affairs in October 2009 took a decision, in principle, to implement the project under the PPP.
But no progress in implementing the project has been made so far.
A communications ministry official said the ADB in early 2011 sent a letter to the principal secretary of the prime minister emphasising the importance of implementing the project.
In May 2011, the ADB, in presence of the then communications minister, highlighted different aspects of the project through a power point presentation.
In December last year, the technical assistance project had been undertaken to prepare the detailed design of the expressway with the financial assistance from the ADB.
According to the ADB study, almost 90 percent of the country's total imports and exports are transported through the Dhaka-Chittagong highway.
Sixty percent of the vehicles using the highway are goods carrier while 27 percent carry passengers. The number of transports on the route will increase by 1.5 times or be double in the next five years.
The study also said it takes around eight to 10 hours-long ride or sometimes even more to cross the 250-kilometre highway.
The long, strenuous journey on the route means a huge waste of vehicle fuel as well as people's working hours. Besides, the shipments of goods are being delayed due to long queues of vehicles on the highway.
The study also suggested constructing a four-lane highway on the route by 2016, a six-lane by 2027 and an eight-lane expressway by 2034.
more fake promises before the elections by awami league ministry of propaganda. What happened to the padma bridge?
