Rajuk's Tk 600cr road dev plan awaits Ecnec nod
Sabrina Karim Murshed
The Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) has planned to construct, widen or extend five roads in Dhaka with a total cost of more than Tk 600 crore, aiming to ease the city's severe traffic congestion.Feasibility study on these roads started last year and the project concept papers have been sent to the Planning Commission. They are now awaiting nod from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec). "Once it gets approval from Ecnec, Rajuk will begin the construction and improvement work of the roads," said one of the officials of Dhaka Transport Co-ordination Board (DTCB) that conducted the feasibility study for Rajuk. The projects include a proposed link road from Rangs Bhaban at Bijoy Sarani on Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue to Shaheed Tajuddin Road in Tejgaon industrial area. Under the project, Bijoy Sarani will get expanded with an Y-junction to be built keeping Rangs Bhaban in the middle. The proposed 2,708 feet long and 60 feet wide road will have six-foot footpath on each side and a two-foot median. The construction cost of this road has been estimated at Tk 88 crore and it is expected to be constructed by 2006. The link road from Ramna Star Gate to Notre Dame College is another road under the Rajuk plan. A part of the road, over 2 km long and 60 feet wide, has already been completed. The estimated cost of construction is Tk 111 crore. The road is expected to be completed by 2007. Another road linking Malibagh crossing with Biswa Road (Mouchak-Rampura road to Sayedabad) is also under the Rajuk plan that will cost over Tk 77 crore. The road will be 2,250 feet long and 60 feet wide with five-foot footpath on each side and a three-foot wide median. Construction of the road is expected to be over by next year. Rajuk has also planned to widen and extend the existing Basabo-Kadamtala road up to Manikdia. The 11,970 feet long and 60 feet wide road will be constructed by 2006. The construction cost has been estimated at Tk 148 crore. The 20,665 feet link road from Biswa Road to Trimohani Gudaraghat will be widened by Rajuk under the plan. It will be a 60 feet wide road expected to be constructed by 2007 with an estimated cost of Tk 176 crore. Sources said there are some illegal structures on the proposed sites and the government would demolish them during construction and improvement of the roads.
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