After consulting different implementing agencies, DTCB has proposed the project, which has already been approved by the communications ministry. It will be placed to the planning ministry soon.

"We will not be able to widen these roads in future as more and more private buildings will be built on both sides of them. So we should take the initiative now," said Helaluddin Nagri, DTCB adviser for institutional support and linkage.

He said at present Dhaka's roads constitute eight percent of the total city area while it is necessary to have at least 16 percent. "Modern urban planners suggest that 25 percent of city area should be kept for roads to ensure smooth traffic system," he said.

The road widening project is being planned under the second phase of Dhaka Urban Transport Project (DUTP) of DTCB. First phase of DUTP ended on July 30 this year.

Dhaka City Corporation (DCC), Roads and Highways Department (RHD) and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk) will implement the widening and improvement work.

The RHD will do the widening and improvement of the existing Western Embankment Road from Buriganga Bridge to Ashulia, that will link the city's northern part to the southern areas.

The road will facilitate movement of people from Mirpur to Old Dhaka without entering the city.

Besides, a number of link roads towards the city centre will be improved to minimise time for commuting.

Under another project the RHD will improve existing roads leading to different landing stations along the waterways from Buriganga Bridge to Ashulia and construct new ones.

The total estimated cost of the projects is around Tk 110 crore.

Rajuk has three widening and improvement projects under DUTP's second phase. It will widen and improve the existing link between Atish Dipanker Road to Eastern Ring Road via Bashabo and Trimohoni.

Another project of Rajuk is to improve the existing condition of the road from Malibagh to Janapath. DTCB officials said it will help ease the traffic congestion at Mouchak crossing.

Fifty 50 percent of widening and improvement work of the road from Ramna Star Gate to Notre Dame College is already done. Rajuk has another project to complete it. The estimated cost for widening and improving these three roads is Tk 308 crore.

DCC has four projects to improve road condition under the second phase of DUTP. Construction of Airport Road to Mirpur through Zia Colony is one of their projects. DCC has already fixed the alignment of the road.

The estimated cost of these projects is Tk 148 crore.

DCC also plans to improve 60 intersections in the city and also install electronic traffic signal.