The Dhaka North City Corporation on Monday inaugurated the construction of three bridges over the Narai River, also known as the Rampura Canal, at the Rampura-Aftabnagar intersection to ease traffic movement in Rampura, Aftabnagar and Banasree areas.
DNCC administrator Mohammad Azaz inaugurated the construction work at Aftabnagar Lakeview Road in the capital.
Speaking at the ceremony, Azaz said that traffic pressure in Aftabnagar is expected to increase in the coming years, and the bridges would help ease congestion.
He added that the initiative aimed at reducing traffic gridlock on Pragati Sarani leading to Rampura, as well as minimising public inconvenience during the construction of the metro rail project.
Referring to urban planning challenges, the DNCC administrator alleged that housing societies often created obstacles to planned urbanisation.
鈥極ne of Dhaka鈥檚 major crises lies in the housing sector, where minimum standards are often ignored, leading to unplanned growth,鈥� he said.
To tackle such issues, Azaz noted that the city corporation had been preparing local area-based action plans to ensure keeping playgrounds, public spaces and other civic amenities for Dhaka residents.
In response to a journalist鈥檚 question, he said that the three bridges would cost Tk 90 crore, with construction targeted for completion within six months.
Of the three, two bridges will be used by vehicles and one exclusively by pedestrians.
DNCC chief executive officer Mohammad Mamun-Ul-Hassan, chief engineer Brigadier General Md Moin Uddin, and chief health officer Brigadier General Imru-al-Quais, among others, were present at the event.