Dhaka: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday approved the ‘Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway’ project involving an estimated cost of Tk 16,901.32 crore in a bid to construct a 24-kilometer elevated expressway to ease traffic congestion in and around Dhaka.

The approval came from the 7^th ECNEC meeting of the current fiscal year (FY18) held at the NEC conference room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area with ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

Briefing the reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said that a total of five projects were approved today involving an estimated cost of Tk 34,567.34 crore.

‘Of the total project cost, Tk 12,402.65 crore will come from the state exchequer while the rest of Tk 22,164.69 crore as project assistance.’

All the approved five projects are new projects.