Work on the Mayor Mohammad Hanif Flyover project, which is supposed to connect Gulistan with Jatrabari, is far from over. The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), executive agency of the flyover, simply does not know when the project would be completed. The flyover was supposed to be completed within two years after construction work began in June 2010. However, the work is moving at a snail’s pace. The executive agency is unable to set a specific date to open the flyover as several deadlines have already been missed.
Jahangir Kabir Nanak, state minister for local government, rural development (LGRDD) and cooperatives, recently instructed the authorities concerned to complete the construction work within July 30 this year. But, when asked, the authorities were reluctant to divulge any information about the completion of the flyover.
In April 2012, the junior LGRD minister had announced that the flyover would be open for traffic on December 16 the same year. However, that deadline came and went without any discernible progress of the project.
When The Independent tried to contact officials concerned at Nagar Bhaban, they preferred to play hide-and-seek in disclosing any information regarding the inauguration of the flyover.
Ansar Ali, chief executive officer of the Dhaka South City Corporation, after much persuasion, told this correspondent: “I don’t know anything about the flyover’s inauguration date. The project director is the relevant authority. He’ll tell you everything about it.”
A month back, the project director, M Ashiqur Rahman, had said that the construction of the flyover was going on in full swing and that the work would be completed by June this year.
But when he was contacted this time to know more about the deadline of the project, Rahman was not willing to talk to this correspondent.
The Mayor Hanif Flyover is the first public-private partnership project in the country. The investor will transfer the facility to the government after a concession period of 24 years. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally laid the foundation of the bridge on June 20, 2010.
Local residents alleged that the flyover’s construction work is going on at a slow pace. They said site is producing clouds of dust that pose serious health hazards for pedestrians and commuters.
Aminul Islam, a resident of Jatrabari, said: “We were told that the construction work would be completed within two years. But it is showing no such sign. We’ve no other option but to inhale cement dust while passing by the site.”
A part of the flyover, from Shanir Akhra to Mahanagar Natyamancha at Gulistan, has been completed, while only the piling has been done for the remaining part. There are 13 ramps, including six entry and seven exit ramps, to connect the flyover with the existing road networks and bus terminals.
The flyover would be connected to Dhaka-Chittagong, Dhaka-Mawa and the Dhaka-Demra highways and different link roads of Jatrabari and Gulistan areas to ease traffic congestion in the southern part of Dhaka city. It would also connect Dhaka City with five divisions — Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Khulna and Barisal.
The Belhasa Accom and Associates Ltd, a concern of the Orion Group, is implementing the project at a cost of Tk. 20.53 billion.
-With The Independent input
