Traffic diversion during the construction work of the elevated metro rail project in the capital has yet to be fixed, even though the geotechnical surveys and soil testing in the project area have already begun.
Workers have been digging in different places between Uttara and Motijheel for the testing, which is creating traffic gridlock in the areas.
The Road Transport and Highway Division had earlier said they would ensure an alternative route for easier traffic movement before starting the work, forming a committee for this purpose.
However, the committee, headed by Road Transport and Highways Division’s Joint Secretary Fakir Alauddin, met only once since its formation in 2013, sources said.
The Dhaka Tribune contacted Fakir yesterday in this regard, who said the full committee would meet soon to take decision about the diversion road.
“We will sit in a meeting this month to discuss the alternative road for easy traffic movement in the project areas, and after figuring out the possible solutions we will make our recommendation to the higher authorities,” he said.
Mofazzal Hossain, director of the project, told the Dhaka Tribune yesterday: “We will finalise the diversion once we receive the recommendation from the committee.”
Recently visiting Farmgate and Mirpur areas, this reporter found enclosures set up by the project workers in the middle of the roads, which is creating disturbances in the usually-heavy traffic movement in those areas.
The 20.1km project is expected to be complete by December 2019.
Trains will run every 3.5 minutes and take 37 minutes to cover the distance between Motijheel and Uttara, with 14 stations in between.
A Japanese consortium is currently working on the detailed design of the project.
