Dhaka Bypass Expressway is a 48 km (30 mi) under construction controlled-access highway located in the division of Dhaka in Bangladesh. The project constitutes a segment of the Asian Highway network. Its principal objective is to alleviate heavy traffic congestion on access roads and highways passing through the city of Dhaka.[1]
 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dhaka Bypass Expressway | ||||
| Route information | ||||
Part of  AH1 | ||||
| Maintained by Bangladesh Road Transport Authority | ||||
| Length | 48 km (30 mi) | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| North end | Kodda, Basan Thana, Gazipur District | |||
| South end | Madanpur, Bandar Upazila, Narayanganj District | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | Bangladesh | |||
| Major cities | Dhaka | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
Background
editBefore the construction of the expressway, the two-lane road here was known as the Dhaka Bypass Road.[2][3] According to varying reports from The Daily Star, construction of the road began either in 1997, November 2001, or January 2002, with an estimated cost of ৳283 crore (US$24 million) to ৳317 crore (US$26 million),[4][5][6] The opening date was December 2005.[6] A bridge, measuring either 415 metres or 445 metres, was also being constructed at Kanchan.[4][5][6] The route starts at Joydebpur and stretches to the N1 (Dhaka–Chittagong highway) at Madanpur, connecting the N2 (Dhaka–Sylhet highway).[6] The government had long had numerous discussions regarding its potential conversion of this road into an expressway.[3]
In September 2012, the conversion project named 'Support to Joydebpur–Debgram–Bhulta–Madanpur Road' was approved by the government[7] to upgrade the road into a four-lane expressway with a service lane.[2] In 2016, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council gave approval for implementation of preparatory works related to the project.[7] While initially the government took the initiative to construct a 45 km elevated highway on this road at a cost of ৳2,821 crore, the plan was shelved due to complications and disputes among government agencies.[8]
On 6 December 2018, the government signed a public-private partnership agreement with Sichuan Road and Bridge Group, Shamim Enterprise, and UDC Construction Limited to implement the project to convert the road into an expressway. According to the agreement, it was initially agreed that this four-lane expressway will be constructed at a cost of ৳3,500 crore. The share of the government was ৳230 crore. Under the construction project, there were plans to construct overpasses, underpasses and bridges at various places on the expressway.[3] Asian Development Bank is responsible for financial consultancy of this project.[9]
However, the project deadline of June 2020 has passed for land acquisition and financing work. Therefore, the project implementation period had been extended by another 4 years. Also, the government has increased its share in the project budget to ৳674.34 crore.[7] On 22 June 2021, Executive Committee of the National Economic Council approved the project again after revision.[10]
On 24 April 2022, Bangladesh Infrastructure Finance Fund Limited and China Development Bank announced a loan assistance of ৳1,075 crore and ৳1,614 crore respectively to the Dhaka Bypass Expressway Development Company Limited for the construction of the expressway. The government was set to provide ৳224 crore as viability gap financing.[11][12] The company was jointly formed by Sichuan Road and Bridge Group, Shamim Enterprises, and UDC Construction Limited, and has been given the opportunity to collect tolls for 23 years after the time of establishment of the expressway.[13]
Construction
editIts construction started on 26 December 2019.[1] After April 2022, the construction of the expressway was speeded up due to the loan assistance of Bangladesh Infrastructure Finance Fund Limited and China Development Bank. As of 2023, the project is experiencing delays due to land transfer issues from government agencies, hampering its progress.[11]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Mamun, Shohel (25 December 2019). "Construction work of Dhaka Bypass begins on Thursday". Dhaka Tribune. Archived from the original on 5 February 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.
- ^ a b Kashem, Abul; Islam, Jahidul (20 November 2022). "Time, cost overruns grip Dhaka Bypass Expressway project". The Business Standard. Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ a b c Haque, Nizamul (20 January 2019). "ঢাকা বাইপাস রূপান্তর হচ্ছে এক্সপ্রেস সড়কে" [Dhaka bypass is being converted into an express road]. Bangladesh Pratidin (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
- ^ a b Islam, Sohel (11 August 2003). "Dhaka Bypass near complete". The Daily Star (Web ed.). Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ a b Hasan, Rafiq (3 January 2005). "Dhaka Bypass to end by June". The Daily Star (Web ed.). Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d Hasan, Rafiq (26 July 2005). "48-km Dhaka Bypass to open in Dec". The Daily Star (Web ed.). Retrieved 24 June 2024.
- ^ a b c Adhikari, Tuhin Subhra (22 June 2021). "ঢাকা বাইপাস এক্সপ্রেসওয়ে প্রকল্পের কাজ অবশেষে শুরু" [Dhaka Bypass Expressway project work has finally started]. The Daily Star (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
- ^ Sadik, Mofizul (24 February 2016). "৪৫ কিলোমিটার উড়াল মহাসড়ক নিয়ে ২ বিভাগের টানাপড়েন!" [Two divisions at odds over a 45-kilometer elevated highway project!]. Banglanews24.com (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
- ^ "ঢাকা বাইপাস সড়ক উন্নয়নের দায়িত্ব পেল ৩ কোম্পানি" [3 companies got the responsibility of Dhaka bypass road development]. Naya Diganta (in Bengali). 4 January 2019. Archived from the original on 3 February 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
- ^ "ঢাকা বাইপাস এক্সপ্রেসওয়ে কাজ দ্রুত এগিয়ে চলছে" [Dhaka Bypass Expressway work is progressing rapidly]. Janakantha (in Bengali). 27 June 2021. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
- ^ a b "Dhaka Bypass project bottlenecked in land transfer delays by govt agencies". The Business Standard. 29 November 2023. Retrieved 15 March 2024.
- ^ "গাজীপুর থেকে নারায়ণগঞ্জ এক্সপ্রেস বাইপাস হচ্ছে" [Gazipur to Narayanganj Express is being bypassed]. Jugantor (in Bengali). 24 April 2022. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
- ^ Sikder, Khalil (1 June 2022). "৮ লেনের ঢাকা বাইপাস" [8 lane Dhaka bypass]. Daily Inqilab (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.