The Dhaka-Chittagong four lane highway project will be completed in the next six months, said the Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader.
The minister, while visiting Bhutan, also expressed hope that hombound travellers during Eid holidays would not suffer because of the road works
The project, which began in 2006, was supposed to be finished in 2012 but tender corruption under the previous government’s tenure, subsequent political unrest, lack of building materials, removal of illegal land-grabbers, and other obstructions resulted in the project duration being extended five times.
Finally, in 2010 the project framework was developed after Awami League administration came to power in 2009.
A 192.3km stretch of the highway is being upgraded to four lanes, beginning from Daudkandi toll plaza and ending at Chittagong city gate.
Upon visit it was observed that the Daudkandi-Comilla city section of the highway is under construction and the upgrade work is near the end. In some sections, the central reservations have already been put up. Near Iliotganj bazar in Daudkandi, one side of the highway is operational as the other side is being upgraded.
As several new culverts are being constructed at many points of the highway, travellers are facing severe traffic jam.
Bangladesh Karate Federation General Secretary Sheikh Ali Ahsan Badal, who regularly travels the highway, said traffic gets stuck on the route from Keronkhal to Paduar Bazar via Comilla Cantonment, but there will not be anymore traffic jam once the development work is finished.
A flyover is also being built over the rail crossing at Paduar Bazar in Comilla. According to the locals, this flyover will play an important role in mitigating traffic jam on the highway in that area. Currently frequent train movement is regularly causing long tailbacks near the crossing.
In the four lane sections of the highway which have already been opened to public, it was seen that traffic is moving smoothly. However, with insufficient number of traffic police, many drivers driving on the wrong sides of the highway and causing traffic jams at several places.
Project Director Ibn Alam Hasan said on Sunday: “Until May 31, 70% of the project has been completed. The rest will have to be finished within the year. So far 138km of the highway have been completed and most of these were opened to traffic.”