ECNEC approves project to support upgradation of Hatirjheel-Rampura Bridge-Demra Highway

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DHAKA, Jan 28, 2020 (BSS) – The Executive Committee of the National
Economic Council (ECNEC) today approved a Taka 1,209.60 crore project in a bid to complete necessary land acquisition and rehabilitation works for upgrading the Hatirjheel-Rampura Bridge-Banasri-Shekherjaiga-Amulia-Demra Highway into four lane.

The approval came from a meeting of the ECNEC 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 MA Mannan
said that a total of nine projects were approved today involving an overall estimated cost of Taka 4,324.61 crore.

“Of the total project cost, Taka 4,249.09 crore will come from the
government of Bangladesh portion, Taka 5.68 crore from the concerned
organization’s own fund while the rest of Taka 69.84 crore as project
assistance,” he said.

Out of the approved nine projects, eight are new while another one is a
revised project.

The Planning Minister said the Department of Roads and Highways under
the Road Transport and Highway’s Division will implement the project by
December 2024 which will support the upgradation of this highway into four-lane.

Mannan said this is a supporting project and once the main project works of upgrading the 13.50 kilometer highway including Chattogram Road Circle and Tarabo Link Road is completed under Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) initiative, people traveling from and to Chattogram and Sylhet from the capital would be benefitted with easier travel alongside smoother goods transportation.

The main project operations include some 25.47 hectares of land
acquisition, compensation and rehabilitation alongside other necessary
consultancy and procurement works.

The day’s ECNEC meeting also approved a project for conducting dredging
at Mongla Port Channel with an estimated cost of Taka 793.73 crore in a bid
to turn this port into an international one.

The main objective of the project is to ensure necessary depth for
handling capacity of ships having 9.5 to 10 meter draft at Mongla Port Jetty.

The project operations include some 157.75 lakh cubic meter dredging by
cutter suction dredger, some 58.34 lakh cubic meter dredging by trailing
suction hopper dredger, construction of 2 lakh cubic meter dykes and 0.50
lakh cubic meter geotube dykes.

The Planning Minister said once this project is implemented, it would
help to boost the capacity of Mongla Port to a big extent and thus meeting
its growing demand for handling containers.

Referring to the approval of procurement of necessary vehicles and
equipments for Rangpur City Corporation with Taka 113.69 crore, Mannan said
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the meeting asked the authorities concerned
including the Mayor of Rangpur City Corporation to ensure proper utilization
of these proposed vehicles, machineries and equipments.

The Premier also renewed her directive to conduct necessary dredging in
the river channels side by side maintaining austerity in the use of water.

The other projects approved in the meeting are construction of Rajshahi
WASA Bhaban with Taka 65.99 crore, Bhandal Juri Water Supply project, 1st
revised with an additional cost of Taka 958.85 crore, upgradation of
Narayanganj Link Road (from Signboard to Chashara) into six-lane with Taka
449.58 crore, Agricultural Development at Rajshahi Division through extension
of modern technology with Taka 147.03 crore, Protection of River Bank near
Doarabazar upazila parishad complex, Rokkhibaor and Betura on the right side
of River Surma under Sunamganj district with Taka 191.67 crore and Arial Kha
River bank protection and dredging under Shibchar upazila in Madaripur
district with Taka 394.47 crore.

Ministers and State Ministers attended the meeting while Planning
Commission members and secretaries concerned were present.