Dhaka-Ashulia elevated expressway work to begin soon

Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway construction work is expected to start within a short time under a direct government-to-government agreement. The cabinet committee on public purchase on Wednesday approved the Bridges Division proposal to construct the elevated expressway at a meeting presided over by Tofail Ahmed as an alternative chairman. After the meeting additional secretary to the cabinet division Mostafizur Rahman told reporter that China National Machinery Export and Import Corporation will be appointed as the implementing firm of the $1.36 billion project. As per the proposal, the project will be implemented in principle under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative. At first no one participated in the Expression of Interest, but later seven firms took part in the tender process, according to sources. Dhaka-Ashulia elevated expressway is expected to improve the communication with the northern part of the country. On February 24, 2011, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave verbal instructions to build an elevated expressway on the Dhaka-Ashulia road. The instructions were given at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council. A pre-feasibility study of the project was conducted by the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology in 2013. The study started from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and proposed for a 35km elevated expressway and 6.64km ramp from Nabinagar intersection and EPZ to Chandra intersection through Abdullahpur-Ashulia-Baipail. According to the study, the total estimated expenditure of the project is $1.67 billion. After completion of various procedures, the China firm submitted a commercial proposal of $1.12 billion without value-added tax or taxes in August 2015. The Fast Track Project Monitoring Committee, however, decided to appoint a consultant agency in February 2016 through international tenders for conducting feasibility studies. The consulting firm would submit the final report of feasibility study in August 2016. The project includes construction of up to 24km elevated expressway from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Ashulia, 3.77km ramp, 710 meter flyover in Nabinagar intersection, upgradation of the existing 15.28km four-lane Ashulia road and construction of drains including two bridges of 27km.