Dhaka: The government has revised its plan to upgrade the existing 4-lane Dhaka-Chattogram Highway to a 10-lane road, with the detailed project proposal (DPP) costing Taka 732 billion expected to be finalized by June next. Officials from the Roads and Highway Department (R and HD) have indicated that the physical work on this project is likely to commence by the end of December this year.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Asian Development Bank, World Bank, and Asian Infrastructure Bank of China have agreed to jointly fund this extensive expansion of the Dhaka-Ctg highway. This highway is considered the country's economic lifeline and has been struggling to manage the increasing traffic pressure for a long time. Initially, the R and HD planned to upgrade the highway to 8 lanes, but the decision to expand it to 10 lanes was made last December after considering future requirements.
Md Sabbir Hasan Khan, Additional Chief Engineer of R and HD and Project Director, stated that R and HD officials and the project consultant have been working diligently to prepare the feasibility study report, DPP, and tender processing. Five foreign and local companies are involved in finalizing the project design, taking into account traffic pressure and land constraints. The highway will have 10 lanes in some areas and 6 lanes in others where land is limited, but it will still be able to manage the traffic pressure effectively.
Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation (SMEC), a globally reputed consulting firm based in Asia, has been engaged to prepare the feasibility report. Khan added that even if the highway has 10 lanes, users will benefit from a 12-lane expressway. The main road will have 6 lanes, with vehicles entering by paying a toll. There will be 4 service lanes, with two lanes on each side for slower vehicles.
Toll points will be established on the highway, and barriers will be set up on both sides of the six-lane road. Vehicle speed on the main road will be restricted to 80 kilometers per hour, while local buses, CNG-run four-wheelers, and other slow-speed vehicles will use the service lanes on both sides. Overpasses will be constructed at each intersection, and the design will include locations for underpasses and foot over bridges.
Sources revealed that the R and HD plans to complete the improvement work on the 229 km highway in three phases. The plan includes three separate DPPs, with the first phase costing approximately Taka 82 billion for the 38 km section between Dhaka, Narayanganj, and Munshiganj. The second phase, covering 125 km between Cumilla and Feni, is estimated at around Taka 460 billion, while the third phase for the 66 km section from Feni to the Chattogram city gate area is estimated at Taka 190 billion.