Elevated expressway opening uncertain after two toll plazas burnt

The reopening date for the Dhaka Elevated Expressway remains uncertain after two toll plazas in Mohakhali and Banani were set ablaze during the violence of 18 and 19 July, officials say.

According to them, the damage has forced the closure of the entire expressway.

On the other hand, it will take until the first week of August to determine when metro rail services will resume.

Metro rail services were suspended on 18 July following a complete shutdown called by quota reform activists. This decision was made after a fire broke out in the police box under the Mirpur-10 metro station.

In addition, Mirpur-10 and Kazipara metro stations were attacked last Friday, resulting in significant damage.

Safety first

Manzur Hossain, senior secretary of the Bridges Division, said a separate company manages the Dhaka Elevated Expressway.

"They informed us that they are focusing on restoring these two toll plazas and ensuring safety and security at other locations before resuming operations," he said.

When asked about the timeline for reopening, Hossain said, "We inquired with the company, and they told us that they are not able to open it for now."

The project director of the Dhaka Elevated Expressway, AHM Shakhawat Akhtar, said there is no relation between the curfew and the opening of the expressway. "We are trying to reopen the expressway as soon as we can.

"Many foreigners work on monitoring the expressway. We have to ensure their safety first," he added.

It was observed on Wednesday that the Banani toll plaza was blocked off with barriers. The entire plaza, including four toll booths, was burned to ashes, with broken glass and charred plastic scattered around. The machines inside the booths were also looted.

According to eyewitnesses, a group of demonstrators set fire to the toll plaza at around 8:20pm last Thursday.

Fazlul Haque, who was working as a security guard during the vandalism and fire, told TBS that 20-25 people started the fire while around 400-500 people were present in the vicinity.

The condition of the Mohakhali toll plaza is even worse. A fire was set there last Friday at around 5pm, destroying all five toll booths and all the machines getting looted. Additionally, a building adjacent to the expressway was vandalised and set ablaze.

Md Shakib, who was in charge of security at the time, told TBS that 200-300 people were involved in the vandalism and arson, and the fire burned for about an hour. The intensity of the flames was so severe that it affected nearby buildings.

AHM Shakhawat Akhtar, the project director, said the damage to the two toll plazas is estimated at around Tk50 crore.

"We are monitoring the situation closely and will work to reopen the elevated expressway as soon as possible after coordinating with the company," he said.

Committee working to determine metro rail damage

Officials at Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) indicate that the reopening schedule will be clarified once the inquiry committee, formed to assess the damage, submits its report within 10 working days.

The inquiry committee was formed on 22 July to evaluate the extent of the damage to the metro rail and to determine when it can be made operational again.

The committee is chaired by Additional Secretary Mohammad Zakaria, who is additional director of the metro rail MRT Line-6 project.

Iftekhar Hossain, DMTCL manager, has been appointed as the committee's member secretary. According to DMTCL sources, the committee has already begun its work.

MAN Siddique, managing director of DMTCL, told TBS that the timeline for the resumption of metro rail services is still unknown. "The reopening date will be outlined in the report from the inquiry committee."