Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Mayor Mohiuddin Chowdhury CDA Expressway in Chittagong city on Tuesday.
The elevated expressway will allow commuters to travel the 15km-long-route from Patenga to Tigerpass in just 15 minutes, which used to take almost three hours.
Chittagong Development Agency (CDA) Chairman Zahirul Alam Dubash announced the official opening schedule during a press briefing on Tuesday.
He said: “The flyover will be accessible from 12pm to 3pm., with plans to fully open after the completion of the project.”
He said: “It will reduce the time of travel from the airport to Lalkhanbazar. The completion of this expressway is expected to facilitate communication between districts and enhance connectivity with Matarbari's deep-sea port.”
Meanwhile, traffic on the elevated expressway started immediately after the inauguration, bringing joy to locals who anticipate faster travel from Patenga to Tigerpass.
The expressway, stretching 16km from Chittagong Shah Amanat Airport to Lalkhan Bazar, features a 54-feet wide, four-lane design with 15 ramps. While 85% of the main flyover is finished, the remaining work on the Tigerpass to Patenga stretch will be completed in few days.
Chief Engineer Kazi Hasan Bin Shams said: “There is a plan for coordination with the Bangabandhu Tunnel project, aiming to ease traffic congestion and open the expressway this month, followed by the completion of the Lalkhan Bazar section next month. Currently, the expressway is accessible through the Tiger Pass ramp.”
Initially approved in the Ecnec meeting on July 11, 2017, the project aimed to alleviate city congestion with an estimated cost of Tk3,250.83 crore. Despite an initial completion target of June 2020, delays pushed the deadline to June 2024, extending the project by one year.
