BANGLADESH

Tk 36,648cr proposed for Road Transport and Highways Division

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal today proposed allocating Taka 36,648 crore for Road Transport and Highways Division in the budget for 2022-23 (FY23).

“The government is always striving to develop a safe, sustainable, environment-friendly and affordable communication infrastructure for building Bangladesh as a modern and developed country,” he said while placing the national budget in the House.

Kamal said that the government has been working for building an effective domestic and international communication network through integrated investment in roads, bridges, railway, water and air transport.

“Implementation of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) and Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) in Dhaka is in progress to strengthen road safety, reduce traffic congestion and develop affordable public transport system,” he said.

According to the budget speech, the government has implemented 357 road development projects in the last 13 years, while 448 new projects were taken.

It said 173.20 km of National Highways was upgraded into 4-lane or above, while works are also underway to upgrade 914.84 km of Highways into 4 lanes or above.

Meanwhile, construction of the Dhaka-Bhanga Expressway and the Gazipur-Tangail 6-lane road have been completed and opened to traffic. Works for upgradation of the Alenga-Hatikumrul-Rangpur highway and Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar highway into 4 lanes are almost completed.

Besides, construction works to upgrade the Dhaka-Sylhet highway into 4 lanes started. Currently, 26 projects under the Road Transport and Highways Division are being implemented.

The finance minister said the government has adopted a time-bound Action Plan to build an integrated Metrorail system of 129.901 km (68.729 km elevated and 61.172 km underground) with 105 stations (52 surface and 53 underground) by 2030 under the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL).

The Metrorail system comprising 6 lines will reduce traffic congestion and improve environment of the Dhaka metropolitan city and its surrounding areas, he said.

Of the action plan, the first ever metro rail from Uttara 3rd phase to Motijheel having 20.10 km long with 16 stations, is at final stage, Kamal said.

In the meantime, Metrorail has completed its trial run from Uttara 3rd phase depot to Agargaon successfully and it is set be launched for commercial use by December 2022, while the remaining part from Agargaon to Motijheel is expected to go on commercial operation by December 2023.

Besides, detailed design works of Southern Route of MRT Line-5 and Northern Route of MRT Line-1 are about to be completed.

The finance minister hoped that the construction of MRT Line-1 will start from July 2022. Moreover, the government has also taken up a plan to introduce MRT system in Chattogram city.

“With a view to building transport and communication systems that support industry and trade in the country, the government is implementing a number of mega projects,” he said.

Kamal said the 6.15 km long Padma Bridge, one of the mega projects, taken by the Prime Minister’s bold and farsighted steps, which has been completed with own finance.

The bridge is expected to be opened to traffic on June 25, 2022, which will lead to an unprecedented improvement in the communication system connecting the capital with the southern part of the country, he added.

The Awami League government has also been constructing 3.32 km Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel under the Karafuli River. “The tunnel is about to complete, which is expected to open to traffic by December 2022,” Kamal said.

In addition, construction of 46.73 km Elevated Expressway from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Kutubkhali on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway is in progress. About 78.94 percent construction work of the first part (Airport-Banani) has already been completed. The physical progress of the entire project is 43.60 percent, he added.

On the other hand, 69 percent of construction of 20 km Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lane from Gazipur to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport has been completed.

Apart from this, land acquisition for 24 km Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway project from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Savar EPZ via Ashulia is underway.

Besides, feasibility study for construction of a bridge over Meghna river on Bhulta-Araihazar-Bancharampur road, construction of Kalabadar and Tetulia bridges on Barisal-Bhola road, a two-story road from Mithamoin Cantonment to Marichkhali in Karimganj upazila of Kishoreganj district are underway.

Another milestone project was undertaken by the government to construct a tunnel under the Jamuna River. The feasibility study of the tunnel is going.

The government also took steps to build more elevated expressways and large bridges integrating the ongoing bridges, flyovers and tunnels.

A total of Taka 32,996 crore was given in the revised budget for the division in the last 2021-22 fiscal, the finance minister said.

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