BRTC starts running buses on elevated expressway

Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) launched bus services on the Uttara-Farmgate route via the Dhaka Elevated Expressway on a trial basis this morning.

Initially, eight double-decker buses hit the expressway route at 11:25am. The first bus that left Manik Mia Avenue and took the expressway reached Airport Road around 12:05pm.

Earlier, Secretary of Road Transport and Highways Division ABM Aman Ullah Nuri inaugurated the service at Manik Mia Avenue around 11:00am.

Talking to reporters, Aman Ullah said there was public demand for a bus service on the expressway.

"We've launched this service on an experimental basis in response to the public demand. The buses will ply from 7:30am to night every day depending on passengers' demand," he added.

He said more buses will be added if the number of passengers increase. Passengers can travel from Farmgate to the airport by paying existing BRTC fares.

The fare from Khejur Bagan to the Airport is Tk 35 for 15 km and the fare for 17 km to Jasimuddin has been set at Tk 40. The per km fare comes to Tk 2.45. As there is e-ticketing, there is no scope for charging extra fare. However, the toll for buses on the expressway has been set at Tk 160, BRTC sources said.

On September 2, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated traffic movement on the Dhaka Elevated Expressway from Kawla in the Airport area to Tejgaon.