Dhaka: Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Sunday inaugurated the construction work of much-awaited Elevated Express Way.

The minister inaugurated the first phase of the project at Kaula area near Shahjalal International Airport in the morning.

After the inauguration programme, Quader said the construction of Elevated Express Way will reduce traffic jam in the city and people will easily reach the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway from the airport within a short time.

The route of the Elevated Expressway will start from Shahjalal International Airport and run alongside the New Airport Road via Mohakhali, Tejgaon and Moghbazar to Kamalapur Railway Station before it passes through Golapbagh to get connected to the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway near Kutubkhali.

The construction work is expected to be finished in 2018 and the total cost of the work is Tk 8900.18crore, added the minister

The project is being implemented by Bangladesh Bridge Authority, financed by Italian-Thai Development Public Construction Limited while China Railway Construction has got the contract of the project.