Chattogram: Traffic clogged roads, empty expressway

The number of vehicles using the newly constructed elevated expressway in Chattogram city has been significantly low in comparison with its capacity.  

The authorities opened the expressway to public transports on 3 January this year. According to the feasibility study, more than 66,000 vehicles were supposed to use the expressway daily in 2025. But the reality is in stark contrast as the daily vehicle count on the facility remains less than 7,000. 

Hence, it is failing to generate expected revenue. The expressway was supposed to earn Tk 80 to 85 million in revenue per month, while it earned only Tk 14.5 million in the very first month of its opening. 

There are speculations if the high-cost facility is going to be another white elephant project, just like the Karnaphuli Tunnel. The number of vehicles using the country’s maiden under-water expressway has been significantly lower than the projection, and so is its income. 

A total of 18,484 vehicles were supposed to use the tunnel daily during its planning, while the actual number of vehicles now stands at around 4,000 only, generating a daily revenue of Tk 1.03 million against a daily maintenance cost of Tk 3.7 million. 

Experts pointed out multiple facts behind the scenario, including hasty project undertaking, flawed planning, and repeated change in design. To get the expressway project approved, the development project proposal (DPP) was formulated  in a hasty way.

Also, it failed to attract vehicles due to flawed planning, repeated changes in design and destination, and failure to complete the ramps in time, they said, adding there will be complications in repaying the government loans if the situation continues. 

Kazi Hasan Bin Shams, the chief engineer of the Chattogram Development Authority (CDA), has defended the feasibility survey of the elevated expressway, saying it was conducted by experts and is beyond question. 

He also emphasised that the situation on the expressway will not be similar to that of the Karnaphuli Tunnel. “It is not yet fully operational. Once it is fully functional with ramps, the number of vehicles will increase further, and so will the CDA revenue.” 

The elevated expressway is the first project implemented by the CDA. The 15-kilometre ‘Shaheed Wasim Akram elevated expressway’ has been constructed along the stretch from Lalkhan Bazar to Patenga at a cost of Tk 42.98 billion. 

On 11 July 2017, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the expressway project with a budget of Tk 32.5 billion. It was supposed to be completed by June, 2020. 

According to the feasibility study, a total of 66,323 vehicles were supposed to use the expressway daily in 2025, with a maximum of 39,000 cars and auto-rickshaws. The toll collection target was Tk 999 million.

The CDA data revealed that only 205,000 vehicles used the expressway in its first month, averaging 6,833 vehicles daily. A total of Tk 14 million was collected in revenue in the month, while the daily income stands at Tk 484,000.

While visiting the Tiger Pass area at 5:00 pm on Thursday, a long tailback of traffic was seen under the expressway, while the over-head expressway was almost deserted, only two to three cars and CNG-powered auto-rickshaws passing by. No buses were seen using the elevated route.

Subhash Barua, a transport expert and vice-president of the forum for planned Chittagong, pointed out flaws in the expressway’s ramp design. According to him, the ramp at Lalkhan Bazar should be used solely as an on-ramp to allow vehicles to enter the expressway, while the Ambagan-bound ramp should also be used for the traffic bound for Lalkhan Bazar. 

In the development project proposal (DPP), the expressway was initially planned to extend from Lalkhan Bazar to Shah Amanat International Airport. However, it has now ended in Patenga, instead of the airport. 

There is no entry ramp at Lalkhan Bazar, forcing commuters to travel around five kilometers to enter the expressway through the Baby Supermarket entry on the Akhtaruzzaman Chowdhury flyover or the Muradpur toll plaza.

Initially, there was a plan to keep 24 ramps to ensure accessibility, but nine were dropped in the first phase of DPP revision. Following the political changeover, the CDA has now decided to drop six more ramps. 

Among the remaining nine, only the Ambagan-bound ramp at Tiger Pass has been completed but is yet to be operational. Work on the others is ongoing.

Shamsul Haque, a transport expert and professor of civil engineering department at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET), questioned the integrity of the feasibility study. He observed that the study was manipulated to show lower costs and get the project approved. 

“In developed countries, a project is assessed ten times before approval. Here, such projects are taken up repeatedly due to the absence of accountability,” he said.