Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the long-awaited Kuril Flyover Sunday with the aim of reducing traffic congestion.
People have been hoping that the flyover will save time for commuters by making traffic flow more easily.
While inaugurating the flyover, Hasina said she made the bridge open ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr as an Eid gift for the people of the area.
She also called upon the people to vote for her party [Awami League] again in the next national polls for the continuation of the development activities in the country.
The flyover was constructed at a cost of Tk3.03bn, financed by Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) in collaboration with the Ministry of Housing and Public Works.
Project Builders and China Major Bridge Engineering jointly built the 8.9m wide and 14.6m high flyover, which is comprised of four sections, providing uninterrupted connection among Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Nikunja, Banani, Rampura and Purbachal neighbourhoods.
According to a Rajuk estimate from 2007, around 157,000 vehicles coming from the five aforementioned areas cross the Kuril intersection every day.
Commuters coming from the west of the capital will use loop 1 to go to Pragati Sarani and Purbachal. Commuters from Pragati Sarani and its adjoining areas will use loop2 on their way to Nikunja.
Two more loops will be used by the passengers from Banani and the west side of the Airport Road to go to Pragati Sarani. The Commuters from Purbachal City will also use these loops on their way to Banani.
Construction work for the Kuril flyover started in June 2010. The present government had approved a tender at a cost of Tk1.54bn. Since then, the project costs have soared to Tk3.06bn.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the construction work of the flyover on May 2, 2010.
Rajuk initially targeted December 2012 for the opening the flyover, but it later deferred the timeline twice to March and June this year.
Rajuk officials blamed frequent general strikes and failure to acquire land on time for the delay of the completion of the project.
The flyover consists of: 65 spans, 101 PC girders, 294 piles, 69 piers, 28 k-slabs, 36 box girders, 10 ramps, 4 loops (2 U-loops and 2 Y-loops), 20 traffic directions, 2 pedestrian over-bridges and a bridge over Balu river.
