Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Administrator Md. Safiqul Islam Khan on Wednesday inaugurated the Aftabnagar-Banasree Steel Footbridge No. 2, built to improve connectivity and ensure safer movement of pedestrians and students in the area.
Speaking at the inauguration, Safiqul said the government is implementing projects in response to public demands and that the three bridges in the Aftabnagar-Banasree area were undertaken to ease traffic congestion and improve connectivity.
He said construction of the second steel footbridge was expedited using locally available machinery to ensure safe passage for pedestrians and students.
The administrator said work on the other two bridges had been delayed due to the time required to bring heavy machinery from abroad, but steps had been taken to accelerate their construction.
He said the newly inaugurated bridge was built with the cooperation of the Bangladesh Army and urged local residents to help maintain it and refrain from dumping waste into the nearby canal.
The DNCC will take initiatives to clean and renovate the canal, he said, adding that the area could become an attractive destination if the canal is properly maintained.
Safiqul also urged residents to pay their taxes regularly to support the city's development activities.
He said two additional permanent bridges capable of carrying heavy vehicles are also under construction nearby. These bridges are expected to help ease traffic congestion on the main road and provide alternative routes during the implementation of the MRT project.
Reiterating the DNCC's commitment to a "Clean Dhaka, Green Dhaka", he said planting trees alone would not make the city beautiful unless the environment is kept clean.
The Steel Footbridge No. 2 was constructed under a DNCC-funded project at a cost of Tk 89.54 crore, with supervision by the Bangladesh Navy.
The project includes three bridges. Bridge No. 1 near Ideal School is 15.40 metres wide and 38 metres long, Bridge No. 2 near Farazi Hospital is 3.80 metres wide and 42 metres long, and Bridge No. 3 near Meradia Bazar is 15.40 metres wide and 49 metres long.