Gabtoli-Postogola eight-lane road misses deadline, major section still in limbo

A key project to upgrade the Gabtoli-Postogola corridor into an eight-lane road has missed its June 2026 deadline, with construction underway on only around five kilometres of the 12-kilometre route.

The remaining seven-kilometre section is still at the feasibility study stage, raising questions over when the entire corridor will be completed.

The corridor is a crucial part of the proposed 88.8-kilometre Inner Circular Ring Road, which aims to divert vehicles travelling from the Padma Bridge and southern districts away from central Dhaka and connect them directly to Savar, Uttara and Gazipur.

Infograph: TBS

However, funding issues, administrative approvals, feasibility studies, design work, utility relocation and poor coordination among government agencies have slowed the project for years, according to the engineering department of the Dhaka South City Corporation.

Initially, the 12-kilometre route was planned to be completed under a single project, but later the five-kilometre route was separated from it due to some complications.

The "Road Development from Rayerbazar Sluice Gate to Loha Bridge of Inner Circular Ring Road" project was approved in 2023 with an estimated cost of Tk974.59 crore.

Work underway on 5km section

Dhaka South is developing the five-kilometre section from the Rayerbazar Sluice Gate to the Loha Bridge in Kamrangirchar. The project was initially scheduled for completion by June 2026 but was later extended by one year to June 2027.

Under the project, the around 20-feet-wide road will be expanded to nearly 140 feet and upgraded to eight lanes. Four lanes will be designated for speedy vehicles, while four others will be for local traffic.

The project also includes three overpasses, three foot overbridges, six passenger shelters, six bus bays, footpaths, concrete drains, retaining walls and LED streetlights.

Engineer Mithun Chandra Shil, project director at Dhaka South, told TBS that nearly 45% of the work on the five-kilometre section is complete.

7km section still awaiting approval

Work on the remaining seven kilometres from Loha Bridge to Postogola is still undergoing feasibility assessment.

According to Dhaka South officials, the section is being planned almost entirely as an elevated road because there is little scope for acquiring land along the densely populated route.

While roads in other areas can sometimes be widened using up to 214 feet of land, only around 30 feet is available along this route.

As a result, the plan is to construct pillars along the banks of the Buriganga River and build the road above them. The estimated cost of this section is around Tk5,000 crore.

Another challenge is constructing ramps to connect the route with the elevated expressway. The densely populated area does not have enough space for conventional ramps.

The Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, acting as the project consultant, has prepared a specialised design involving a multi-storey structure roughly equivalent to a 10-storey building.

Under the design, vehicles would use the second and fourth levels to turn and enter or exit the elevated expressway. A separate lane would allow vehicles to descend for drop-offs.

Engineer Mithun said the feasibility study for the seven-kilometre section is still underway, but its Development Project Proposal vetting has been completed.

"The proposal is now being processed for submission to the ministry for approval. A final decision may come by October," he said.

Utility relocation slows progress

Relocating electricity infrastructure has emerged as another major obstacle.

On the five-kilometre Rayerbazar-Loha Bridge section alone, 565 electricity poles and eight towers need to be relocated. Around Tk150 crore has been allocated to the Dhaka Power Distribution Company Ltd (DPDC) for the work.

DPDC sources said relocation of overhead 11kV and 33kV lines has been completed. However, work on shifting an underground 33kV line and eight towers along the road is still underway.

The 132kV line relocation is beyond the capacity of local contractors, prompting the authorities to invite an international tender. Several companies have submitted bids, which are now being evaluated.

Mohammad Mohiul Alam, supervising engineer (Development-1) at DPDC, told this newspaper that tenders were invited in coordination with the Dhaka South City Corporation.

"We want to complete the work quickly. All necessary preparations are now at the final stage," he said.