Mirpur-Airport Road Flyover
Work goes on, may finish by 2012
Started in January, construction work of Mirpur-Airport Road flyover over the restricted zone of Dhaka cantonment and Banani Staff Road level-crossing is progressing in full swing to meet the target of completion by October 2012.
People living in Mirpur and Pallabi areas will be immensely benefited as their travel time for airport, Banani, Gulshan and Kuril Badda will drastically lessen due to the 1.8-kilometre flyover.
If the construction continues at this pace, it will be the Awami League government’s first major work to be completed by the end of next year aimed at easing traffic congestion in the capital.
However, the flyover would not be required if the military authorities lifted the restriction on civilian movement between Matikata and Zia Colony, said experts.
“The main construction work will begin in June. Meanwhile, we are doing the piling and other groundworks,” said Colonel Abu Sayed Mohammad Masud, project director (PD) of the Tk 193 crore initiative.
As per a study about 30,000 vehicles will use the flyover every day.
He said the construction of the 0.8 km Banani overpass will be completed four months ahead of the cantonment flyover.
The flyover and overpass will establish a direct east-west linkage between Mirpur and Zia Colony on the Airport Road.
Presently, the residents of Mirpur and Pallabi are to take a long detour at Bijoy Sarani to go to Airport due to the restriction on the cantonment roads.
“Once the flyover is opened, these people will cross the cantonment in just 10 minutes without any checking and move in Airport, Badda or Banani directions,” said the PD.
Similarly, people coming from the Airport and willing to go to Mirpur and Pallabi will use the flyover. They will also use the overpass and head straight towards Kakoli, avoiding the level-crossing at Banani Staff Road.
A link bridge will connect the overpass with the flyover for those who are coming from Kakoli-Mohakhali direction and willing to go to Mirpur and Pallabi. People coming from Mirpur and heading towards Banani or Kakoli have to use a U-loop just before Radisson hotel.
Once the flyover and the overpass are opened, U-turns on roads from Kakoli to Zia Colony will be stopped. The U-turns will be kept open for internal vehicular movement of the army, navy and other establishments on either side of the Airport Road.
The army’s Special Works Organisation (SWO) took charge of the project in June 2010. It then engaged two contractors –Mir Akhter Hossain Ltd for constructing the flyover with Tk 90.55 crore and Abdul Monem Ltd for the overpass and the linkage bridge with Tk 71.38 crore. The cost excluded construction materials.
The Armed Forces Division is to supply the construction materials — cement and rod — to the firms with rest of the budget money.
Project Consultant Prof Azadur Rahman said the project will benefit the Mirpur people but vehicles will have to remain stuck at Kakoli crossing, Banani road No-11, and Chairmanbari points disrupting smooth flow of traffic.
He suggested construction of either U-loops or underpasses at the points to mitigate the problem.
Experts had earlier recommended the government construct an underground tunnel linking Jahangir Gate and Rokeya Sarani so that Agargaon and Rokeya Sarani-bound vehicles can move through it lessening the congestion in front of Prime Minister’s Office.
Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain yesterday visited the construction sites and expressed satisfaction over the progress of the construction works of the flyover and the overpass.
“The entire Dhaka city will take a different look towards the end of the present government’s tenure,” he said, adding that construction of three flyovers, several level-crossings and the elevated expressway will be completed within the tenure improving the overall traffic movement in the capital.
