Failing to complete the construction works of the Kuril and Gulistan-Jatrabari flyovers by last month, the builders have extended the deadlines until June.
Project officials of the two flyovers have attributed the failure to frequent hartals.
The 3.1-km-long, one-way Kuril flyover was slated to open to traffic on March 30 while the 10.8-km-long Gulistan-Jatrabari flyover (also known as Mayor Mohammad Hanif Flyover) on March 26.
Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha is implementing the Kuril flyover project whereas Dhaka South City Corporation is carrying out the Gulistan-Jatrabari flyover project.
Rajuk Chairman Nurul Huda said due to frequent hartals, construction materials coming from Chittagong and Sylhet could not arrive in time.
“If everything goes well, they will be able to finish the [Tk 254 crore] Kuril flyover by June,” he added.
The Project Builders Ltd Bangladesh along with Major Bridge Engineering Corporation China is constructing the Kuril flyover.
“We have faced around 40 days of hartals since December,” said Shawkat Hussain, director of Project Builders. “The construction works were affected not only during the hartal days but also immediately before and after the days due to violence.”
Project director of the Kuril flyover Abdul Baki Mia said 85 percent of the work has been done so far.
Commuters coming from the west of the capital will use loop-1 to go to Pragati Sarani and Purbachal. Commuters from Pragati Sarani and adjoining areas will use loop-2 on their way to Nikunja. Both these loops have been completed.
Two more loops that are under construction will be used by passengers from Banani and the west side of Airport Road to go to Pragati Sarani. Passengers from Purbachal area can also take these loops on their way to Banani.
The Kuril flyover was initially supposed to be completed by the end of last year. The deadline was extended until March due to the delay in the shifting of a high-voltage electric line from the pathway of the flyover.
GULISTAN-JATRABARI FLYOVER
The reasons for the delay in building the Gulistan-Jatrabari flyover include frequent hartals and an illegal bus terminal at Fulbaria, which makes up part of the construction site, said an official of the flyover project on condition of anonymity.
A large number of buses are parked haphazardly at Fulbaria every day, creating obstacles to other vehicles, including those that are engaged in the construction of the flyover.
Around 80 percent of the work has been completed and it should be possible to open the flyover to public in June, said Ashiqur Rahman, director of the project.
The flyover, which has 12 ramps, will be connected to Dhaka-Chittagong highway, Dhaka-Mawa highway, Dhaka-Demra road and Atish-Dipankar road and the roads to Sayedabad, Motijheel, Gulistan, Bangabandhu Avenue and Palashi.
