The Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) is changing the suspended design of the ramp from the city’s Tigerpass to the Polo Ground Multipurpose High School (on Yusuf Chowdhury Road). Alternative drafts have been made to construct a ramp at the rail site on the western side instead of a road divider. CDA Chairman M Zahirul Alam Dubash will hold a meeting with Chittagong public representatives and stakeholders to finalize the design. Based on everyone’s opinion, the draft design will be finalized and sent to the Ministry for approval.
In this regard, Elevated Expressway Project Director Mahfuzur Rahman said that there was some objection to the plan to build a ramp between Tigerpass-CRB road. So recently we have designed to construct a ramp on the railway site outside the footpath on the west side of the road instead of the double decker road divider. Soon our CDA chairman will sit with the public representatives and stakeholders of Chittagong about this new design. This design will be final only if everyone agrees there.
He also said that the new ramp will be in place of the railway. For the construction of which we have to take about 35 percent of the land from the railway. Once the design of the ramp is finalised, we will apply to the Railways for allotment of space.
CDA designed ramp construction by cutting trees over Yusuf Chowdhury road divider. At the beginning of this month, discussion-criticism was created. After discussion-criticism, the Minister of Foreign Affairs has ordered not to cut the trees for the construction of the ramp on the two-story road. Hasan Mahmud and Housing and Public Works Minister AM Ubaidul Moktadir Chowdhury. At one point, CDA decided to stop the construction of ramps and cutting of trees.
At the beginning of this month, after the news of the construction of the ramp by cutting trees, the civil society gathered in Chittagong and called on the CDA to cancel the decision to cut the trees. Various organizations also held protests and demonstrations under the centenary tree at Tigerpass intersection in the city. Various political organizations including CPB, Basad, Ganasanhati Andolan also issued the same call.
It should be noted that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the 15.11 km long elevated expressway from Lalkhan Bazar to Patenga in the city on November 14 last year. Although the long flyover of the city was inaugurated about 4 and a half months ago, it has not yet been opened for traffic as the construction work has not been completed. CDA took the initiative to construct elevated expressway to ease traffic congestion at the airport. The project was approved by Ekne on July 11, 2017 at a cost of Tk 3,250 crores and 83 lakhs.