Move to facilitate traffic from city’s eastern part to Motijheel
The government expects to start construction of a new loop at Sayedabad point of Khilgaon Flyover in October to maximise the structure’s benefit for the people in adjacent areas.
Vehicles from Pragati Sarani and the capital’s eastern part Madartek, Bashabo and Sipahibagh will have direct access to Motijheel and Rajarbagh using the loop, said AK Azad, project director of Khilgaon Flyover.
It will also ease the tailback at Khilgaon level crossing, he pointed out.
According to project plan, the construction of the 650-metre loop is expected to finish by June 2013 at a cost of Tk 69.75 crore.
Of this, Tk 35 crore will be spent to acquire land and the rest to relocate the utility lines and construct the loop. The government will fund the project.
The project will need to acquire 60 decimal of land, mostly of railway, and the process is underway, noted an official of Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED).
The original design of the flyover had two loops, but the then BNP government dropped the one at Sayedabad point, he added.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council endorsed the Construction of Loop (Sayedabad side), Khilgaon Flyover project on October 26 last year.
In May the authorities appointed Modern Engineering Ltd as the project’s consultant. It is now drawing and designing the loop, mentioned the project director. “After receiving these, we will go for tender to appoint a civil contractor.”
The tender process will be complete within two months and the construction will start by October after getting the approval of the LGRD and cooperatives ministry, he maintained.
Former premier Khaleda Zia opened the 1.9-kilometre flyover for traffic on March 23 in 2005. Local firm Development Construction Ltd built it with a government fund of Tk 81.75 crore.
Courtesy of The Daily Star
