6.7km of BRT now open to traffic
A 4.5-kilometre elevated road from the Uttara House Building to Cherag Ali, which was built under the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project to establish fast communication between the Dhaka Airport and Gazipur, has been opened to traffic.
While inaugurating this section of the BRT on Saturday, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said the Jashimuddin Road section near the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport will also be opened for traffic ahead of Eid-ul-Azha to ease holidaymakers' suffering.
Earlier in November last year, a 2.2-km BRT stretch from House Building to Tongi Fire Service station was opened to traffic.
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"Due to the long delay in implementation, the BRT project has caused considerable suffering to the people. But the entire 20.5km of the BRT project (Airport-Gazipr) will become operational by September or October," he said.
The BRT project was sanctioned in 2016 at a cost of Tk2,040 crore, to ensure fast travel for 20,000 passengers per hour.
Later, the duration of the project was extended in five phases till December 2024 and the cost rose to Tk4,268 crore.
Obaidul Quader also mentioned that parts of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway will also be inaugurated before the national polls later this year.
The construction of the Bangabandhu Tunnel in Chattogram has reached completion, the minister said, adding that there are currently 100 bridges that have been constructed and are awaiting official inauguration.
Measures are taken to reduce public suffering during Eid
Claiming that there were many challenges during the last Eid-ul-Fitr, Quader said there will also be additional challenges to smoothen the journey of holidaymakers during Eid-ul-Azha.
This is the rainy season. There will be cattle markets on the side of the roads, which will create gridlocks, increasing the suffering of the passengers, he said.
The Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRT) office had a meeting with all the concerned parties and decided on an action plan, the minister said, adding that if everyone does their own work, a smooth and hassle-free Eid journey can be ensured for people.
