Chittagong Bureau :
Bangladesh Army is going to take the charge of finishing of incomplete works of Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane highway. The Engineering Core of the Bangladesh army would be involved in the works as some of the works are still incomplete. Sources said, project of Dhaka-Chittagong four lane Highway has officially been completed last year. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the highway on July 2 last year by video conferencing.
But, some of the bridges on 190.48 km long Dhaka-Chittagong Highway are yet to be completed. The contractors left the work after constriction of only one bridge. There are two bridges which are yet to be constructed.
Meanwhile, the planning commission decided to hand over the charges to complete the works of the high way, sources concerned said.
The main works of the highway project was completed in last year. The project was also handed over. But some supplementary works will be completed within the current year.
Arun Chakma, engineer of RHD said the works of Dhaka-Chittagong four lane highway was scheduled to be completed earlier.
But due to some unavoidable reasons, the project was delayed. ” The project of Dhaka-Chittagong four lane highway likely to be completed very soon.” Sources said, earlier, Chittagong Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCCI), one of the prime trade bodies of the country had urged the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her firm intervention and necessary action in implementing Dhaka-Chittagong four lane Highway.
Following the demand of business community leaders and the election manifesto of incumbent government, she intervened for completing the construction works of the high way.
As a result, almost all works have been completed. Sources said, the 28km section in the existing Dhaka-Chittagong Highway (N1), from Dhaka to Daudkandi except for Meghna and Daudkandi Bridges, was a four-lane road in 2005. The traffic on the highway has exceeded 40,000 passenger car equivalents a day (PCU/day) at most of the locations.
In order to cope up with the increasing traffic on the highway, the government decided to expand the existing 194km two-lane Daudkandi to Chittagong road to a four-lane divided road with provision of future expansion to a six-lane road. Following the completion of the project, the journey time from Dhaka to Chittagong reduced by approximately three hours.
Dhaka-Chittagong Highway up-gradation project was initiated in January 2006. The proposal for the development was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in January 2008.
The project was executed by the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) or build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) or private-public partnership (PPP) basis. The up-gradation involves the construction of a new road between Daudkandi and Chittagong.
It also involves the construction of embankment, pavement, culverts, bridges and green belts.
The road was converted into a four-lane road by adding a separate two-lane road to the existing highway separated by a raised median.
The construction project was divided into ten road works and two bridge work segments. Sources said, in May 2006, National Engineering Service Pakistan Limited (NESPAK) was awarded a contract by the government of Bangladesh to provide engineering services for the project. The agreement was, however, terminated by the government in May 2010 due to unsatisfactory consultancy services.
Bangladesh Army is going to take the charge of finishing of incomplete works of Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane highway. The Engineering Core of the Bangladesh army would be involved in the works as some of the works are still incomplete. Sources said, project of Dhaka-Chittagong four lane Highway has officially been completed last year. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the highway on July 2 last year by video conferencing.
But, some of the bridges on 190.48 km long Dhaka-Chittagong Highway are yet to be completed. The contractors left the work after constriction of only one bridge. There are two bridges which are yet to be constructed.
Meanwhile, the planning commission decided to hand over the charges to complete the works of the high way, sources concerned said.
The main works of the highway project was completed in last year. The project was also handed over. But some supplementary works will be completed within the current year.
Arun Chakma, engineer of RHD said the works of Dhaka-Chittagong four lane highway was scheduled to be completed earlier.
But due to some unavoidable reasons, the project was delayed. ” The project of Dhaka-Chittagong four lane highway likely to be completed very soon.” Sources said, earlier, Chittagong Chamber of Commerce & Industry (CCCI), one of the prime trade bodies of the country had urged the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina for her firm intervention and necessary action in implementing Dhaka-Chittagong four lane Highway.
Following the demand of business community leaders and the election manifesto of incumbent government, she intervened for completing the construction works of the high way.
As a result, almost all works have been completed. Sources said, the 28km section in the existing Dhaka-Chittagong Highway (N1), from Dhaka to Daudkandi except for Meghna and Daudkandi Bridges, was a four-lane road in 2005. The traffic on the highway has exceeded 40,000 passenger car equivalents a day (PCU/day) at most of the locations.
In order to cope up with the increasing traffic on the highway, the government decided to expand the existing 194km two-lane Daudkandi to Chittagong road to a four-lane divided road with provision of future expansion to a six-lane road. Following the completion of the project, the journey time from Dhaka to Chittagong reduced by approximately three hours.
Dhaka-Chittagong Highway up-gradation project was initiated in January 2006. The proposal for the development was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in January 2008.
The project was executed by the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) on a build-operate-transfer (BOT) or build-own-operate-transfer (BOOT) or private-public partnership (PPP) basis. The up-gradation involves the construction of a new road between Daudkandi and Chittagong.
It also involves the construction of embankment, pavement, culverts, bridges and green belts.
The road was converted into a four-lane road by adding a separate two-lane road to the existing highway separated by a raised median.
The construction project was divided into ten road works and two bridge work segments. Sources said, in May 2006, National Engineering Service Pakistan Limited (NESPAK) was awarded a contract by the government of Bangladesh to provide engineering services for the project. The agreement was, however, terminated by the government in May 2010 due to unsatisfactory consultancy services.
