Dhaka Bypass Expressway

Expressway in Bangladesh

N105

Dhaka Bypass Expressway
Route information
Part of  AH1
Maintained by Bangladesh Road Transport Authority
Length| 48 km (30 mi)
Major junctions
North end| Kodda, Basan Thana, Gazipur District
South end| Madanpur, Bandar Upazila, Narayanganj District
Location
Country| Bangladesh
Major cities| Dhaka
Highway system

* Roads in Bangladesh

| ←  N4| | →  N1

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Dhaka Bypass Expressway is an 48 km (30 mi) under construction controlled-access highway located in the division of Dhaka. The project is a section of Asian Highway 1. The primary purpose of construction was to reduce heavy traffic on access roads and highways through the city of Dhaka.

## Background[edit]

Before the construction of the expressway, there was a road here called Dhaka Bypass Road. According to the report of Bangladesh Pratidin, the government had long ago thought of converting this road into an expressway and many discussions were going on about it.[1]

The conversion project named 'Support to Joydebpur–Debgram–Bhulta–Madanpur Road' was approved by the government in September 2012. After 4 years Executive Committee of the National Economic Council gave approval for implementation of works related to the project.[2] Initially, the government took the initiative to construct a 45 km flyover highway on this road. The cost of this flyover project was fixed at ৳2,821 crore. But it could not be implemented due to complications in ministries.[3]

On 6 December 2018, the government signed a public-private partnership agreement with Sichuan Road and Bridge Group, Shamim Enterprise and UDC Construction Limited to implement the project to convert the road into an expressway. According to the agreement, it was initially agreed that this four-lane expressway will be constructed at a cost of ৳3,500 crore. The share of the government was ৳230 crore. Under the construction project, there were plans to construct overpasses, underpasses and bridges at various places on the expressway.[1] Asian Development Bank is responsible for financial consultancy of this project.[4]

However, the project deadline of June 2020 has passed for land acquisition and financing work. Therefore, the project implementation period is extended by another 4 years. Also, the government has increased its share in the project budget to ৳674.34 crore.[2] On 22 June 2021, Executive Committee of the National Economic Council approved the project again after revision.[5]

On 24 April 2022, Bangladesh Infrastructure Finance Fund Limited announced a loan assistance of ৳1,075 crore for the construction of the expressway and they provided ৳42.50 crore as the first installment of the loan to Dhaka Bypass Expressway Development Company Limited. The government increased its own share in the budget by another ৳275.66 crore.[6] Sichuan Road and Bridge Group, Shamim Enterprises and UDC Construction Limited jointly formed the Dhaka Bypass Expressway Development Company. The company formed for the project has been given the opportunity to collect tolls for 23 years after the time of establishment of the expressway.[7]

## Construction[edit]

Its construction started on 26 December 2019.[8] In June 2021, The Daily Star reported that land acquisition for the project was 73% complete.[2] After 24 April 2022, the construction of the expressway was speeded up due to the loan assistance of Bangladesh Infrastructure Finance Fund Limited.[7]

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b Haque, Nizamul (20 January 2019). "ঢাকা বাইপাস রূপান্তর হচ্ছে এক্সপ্রেস সড়কে" [Dhaka bypass is being converted into an express road]. Bangladesh Pratidin (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 27 October 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
2. ^ a b c Adhikari, Tuhin Subhra (22 June 2021). "ঢাকা বাইপাস এক্সপ্রেসওয়ে প্রকল্পের কাজ অবশেষে শুরু" [Dhaka Bypass Expressway project work has finally started]. The Daily Star (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
3. ^ Sadik, Mofizul (24 February 2016). "৪৫ কিলোমিটার উড়াল মহাসড়ক নিয়ে ২ বিভাগের টানাপড়েন!" [45 kilometers of Udal highway with 2 sections of tension!]. Banglanews24.com (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
4. ^ "ঢাকা বাইপাস সড়ক উন্নয়নের দায়িত্ব পেল ৩ কোম্পানি" [3 companies got the responsibility of Dhaka bypass road development]. Naya Diganta (in Bengali). 4 January 2019. Archived from the original on 3 February 2019. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
5. ^ "ঢাকা বাইপাস এক্সপ্রেসওয়ে কাজ দ্রুত এগিয়ে চলছে" [Dhaka Bypass Expressway work is progressing rapidly]. Janakantha (in Bengali). 27 June 2021. Archived from the original on 21 September 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
6. ^ "গাজীপুর থেকে নারায়ণগঞ্জ এক্সপ্রেস বাইপাস হচ্ছে" [Gazipur to Narayanganj Express is being bypassed]. Jugantor (in Bengali). 24 April 2022. Archived from the original on 7 July 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
7. ^ a b Sikder, Khalil (1 June 2022). "৮ লেনের ঢাকা বাইপাস" [8 lane Dhaka bypass]. Daily Inqilab (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 9 June 2022. Retrieved 21 September 2022.
8. ^ Mamun, Shohel (25 December 2019). "Construction work of Dhaka Bypass begins on Thursday". Dhaka Tribune. Archived from the original on 5 February 2022. Retrieved 22 September 2022.