Plan for 5-MRT, 2-BRT, 3-tier ring road, 6-expressway: Sheikh Hasina

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday said her government has undertaken plan to construct five Mass Rapid Transit (MRT), two Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), three tier elevated ring road and six expressway and 21 transportation hubs along with improvement of traffic management-traffic safety and reform of bus transport section.

“We will also construct 24-km long Dhaka-Ashulia elevated expressway, subway or underground metro, 39.24-km long elevated expressway from Baliapur of Savar on Dhaka-Aricha highway to Langolband in Narayanganj on Dhaka-Chattogram highway via Nimtoli-Keraniganj-Fatullah-Bandar,” she said this, while replying to a starred question from treasury bench member MA Malek in the Jatiya Sangsad today.

Sheikh Hasina said side by side the public sector the government has undertaken initiatives to improve the network of highway with participation of private sector under PPP method.

“The initiatives include construction of 218-km long Dhaka-Chattogram expressway and upgradation of Jydebpur-Debgram-Bhulta-Madanpur highway (Dhaka Bypass) into four- lane,” she told the House.

The Prime Minister said her government has allocated Taka 2 lakh 41 thousand 546 crore to ease road, bridge, shipping and air communication after taking power second term in 2009, adding, “This year we have allocated Taka 53 thousand 81 crore for this sector.”

Responding to a supplementary question, Sheikh Hasina informed the House that the government has a plan to construct elevated ring road surrounding Dhaka, underground railway, Dhaka-Chattogram highway to turn into six lane along with railway would be improved for quick movement.

She said her government would expand airways as new aircraft has already added and another aircraft would be added next month.

The Prime Minister said construction was underway for 46.73-km long elevated expressway from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Kutubkhali on Dhaka- Chattogram highway with ramps.

Besides, some flyovers and elevated expressways were under construction, she said 20- km Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) corridor from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Gazipur was under construction, which would have capacity to transport 25,000 passengers on both sides and Uttara Phase-III to Bangladesh Bank MRT Line-6 was being constructed.

Source: bss