The preparation for carrying out feasibility study and floating tender for constructing elevated expressway has started vigorously as part of the long-term plan to remove traffic jam from the city, reports BSS.

"The government wants to float the tender of the elevated expressway in the city this year," Mohammad Abdul Aziz, Secretary of the Bridge Division of the communications ministry told the news agency Saturday.

According to the Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge Authority and rules of business, he said, the responsibility for constructing the elevated expressway is by Bridge Division.

The Bridge Division sources said, conducting feasibility study and floating tender of the expressway to be constructed at a cost of Tk 86 billion (8,600 crore) will be held simultaneously. The approval for calling tender of the expressway was given at a meeting of the cabinet committee Wednesday.

Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain said that there were more talks only than work about the elevated expressway during the regime of the past government.

"The present government believes in works than talks and will carry out feasibility study and float tender simultaneously to start the work quickly to remove the traffic jam," he said.

Abul Hossain said, the company which will conduct feasibility study will do it at its own cost and cabinet committee on the economic affairs has approved the proposal in this regard moved by the communications ministry.

The sources said, the elevated expressway will be built on the basis of public-private-partnership, the first of its kind in the country.

"The 30-km-long four-lane elevated expressway will be constructed over different roads in the city in three phases, and eight years will be needed to complete the work," they said.

The sources said, the project will be implemented by forming a public limited company where government will own 49 per cent share and the private sector 51 per cent. The company will run the elevated expressway for 30 years, the sources said.

They said, 10.80-km will be built in the first phase, 10.20- km in the second and 11.30-km in the third phase.

Initially, the expressway will be constructed from Zia International Airport to Sonargaon Hotel Crossing via Farmgate and it will be connected with Atish Dipankar Road by turning in Karwan Bazar and via Malibagh Railcrossing and later it will end at Shanir Akhra through Khilgaon Flyover, the sources said.