The remaining parts of the much-awaited Maghbazar-Mouchak Flyover will open to traffic today (Thursday), bringing an end to the sufferings of the commuters and the residents of the area.
They are being subjected to untold sufferings over the last four years for the snail's pace of its construction.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will open the Kakrail-Malibagh, Rajarbagh-Mouchak, Rampura-Mouchak and Mouchak-Eskaton portions of the flyover through a videoconference at 12noon on, project director (PD) Susant Kumar Pal told UNB.
After the inauguration of the rest 5.5-kilometres (km) overpass of the entire 8.7-km one, vehicles can go over eight road intersections and three level-crossings at Karwan Bazar, Maghbazar and Malibagh, substantially improving the city trips, the PD said.
Many city dwellers, however, expressed their annoyance as a portion of the road in Mouchak crossing, in front of Fortune Shopping Mall, has been kept blocked for the last two days for erecting a stage and making an inauguration plate ahead of the flyover opening, creating huge tailbacks in the arras and causing public sufferings.
Some of them, however, heaved a sigh of relief as their long-endured sufferings will be over with the inauguration of the flyover. PD Susant Kumar said all types of construction work on the flyover have already been completed and it is now ready for operation.
Once the Prime Minister inaugurates it, he said, the entire overpass, including the three portions already in operation, will be opened to traffic.
The country's longest flyover drew criticisms for repeatedly raising its project cost, deferring its implementation deadline, public sufferings, and faulty designs.
Though the overpass has been built for unhindered vehicular movement, traffic signal lights have been installed at the Mouchak and Malibagh intersection of the flyover due to its faulty design.
Meanwhile, a passerby, Swapan of Kishoreganj's Pakundia upazila, was killed and two others injured after a concrete girder of the flyover collapsed on Malibagh level-crossing on March 13 this year.
Aiming to ease traffic in one of the city's busiest areas, the construction work on the integrated Moghbazar-Mouchak Flyover Project began in January 2013 with a deadline to complete it by June 2015.
