The Payra 6-Lane Road Project (officially known as the Payra Port Connecting Road) is a critical infrastructure initiative designed to establish direct, high-capacity land connectivity for Payra Sea Port, Bangladesh’s third major seaport.
Road Project Technical Profile
General Overview
- Project Name: Construction of 4-Lane Connecting Road with Service Road in both side from Patuakhali-Kuakata Highway Road (Rajopara) to Payra 1320 MW Thermal Power Plant at Dhankhali (Tiakhali) Kalapara, Patuakhali, under Road Division Patuakhali during the FY 2018-19.
The technical profile, purpose, and implementation details of this mega-roadway include:
Project Overview & Layout
- Total Length: 6.35 kilometers long.
- Lane Configuration: Styled as a 4+2 lane system. It features a primary 4-lane main expressway dedicated to heavy-duty port cargo and freight, flanked by 2 separate service lanes (one on each side) to accommodate slow-moving local traffic.
- Route: The connecting road links the main port infrastructure and its new multipurpose terminal directly to the Dhaka–Kuakata Highway (at Rajopara).
Implementation & Contractors
- Executing Agency: The project is being overseen by the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) on behalf of the Payra Port Authority.
- Main Contractor: Construction was awarded to Spectra Engineers Limited.
- Project Cost: The budgeted construction contract value stands at Tk 655.50 crore.
Integrated Infrastructure (The Andharmanik River Bridge)
The 6-lane road integrates directly with another major engineering component: the construction of a 1,180-meter-long, 4-lane bridge over the Andharmanik River. This bridge links the approach road straight into the port terminal, ensuring that heavily loaded container trucks bypass local waterways entirely.
Strategic Objectives
- Eliminating Congestion: By keeping local traffic on side service lanes and heavy trucks on the primary lanes, it creates an uninterrupted logistics corridor.
- Triple-Berth Support: The 6-lane access highway is timed to launch alongside Payra’s first multi-purpose terminal (a 650-meter jetty). Together, they will allow three large foreign container ships to unload simultaneously and immediately clear cargo via land.
- Economic Alternative: It aims to decentralize maritime logistics from the congested Chattogram Port, which handles the vast majority of the country’s sea trade.
Timeline & Current Status
The project was formally initiated under the Payra First Terminal development scheme and its foundation stone was virtually laid by the Prime Minister in October 2022. Both the 6-lane terminal access road and the Andharmanik Bridge are nearing completion, with full operational targets tracking toward December 2026.