The construction work of Dhaka-Ashulia elevated expressway is expected to start in December this year, Road, Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said today.

Commercial agreement of this project was signed earlier while deal on loan will also be signed soon, said Quader, also Awami League general secretary

He was talking to reporters after attending a contract signing ceremony regarding the project at Setu Bhaban in the capital.

Bangladesh Bridge Authority signed the contract with a joint venture company for design review and supervision of the construction of Dhaka-Ashulia elevated expressway project.

Bangladesh Bridge Authority signs on Thursday, July 11, 2019 the contract with a joint venture company for design review and supervision of the construction of Dhaka-Ashulia elevated expressway project. Photo: Tuhin Shubhra Adhikary

The joint venture firm comprises of three companies from Spain, Sounth Korea and Bangladesh.

Kazi Md Ferdous, chief engineer of Bangladesh Bridge Authority and Antonio Rodrigueze Castellanos, managing director TYPSA, Spain signed the contract on behalf of Bridge authority and joint venture company respectively.

In 2017, Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) gave the go-ahead to the Tk 16,901 crore project of building the 24-kilometre elevated expressway, 65 percent of which will be financed by China.

According to the project document, work on the project will begin this year to finish in June 2022. Once completed, the expressway will connect Hazrat Shahjahal International Airport to Abdullahpur, Ashulia, DEPZ and Chandra on the North Bengal Highway.

It will be an extension of the 26-kilometre Dhaka elevated expressway linking the airport to the Dhaka-Chittagong highway near Shanir Akhra.