Ecnec approves Tk 5,906cr project to repair rural infrastructure

The government on Tuesday approved a Tk 5,905.6 crore project to conserve the rural road network system by rehabilitating the roads, bridges and culverts affected due to cyclone Amphan, excessive rain and the recent flood.

The approval for the project came at 15th meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec), which was presided over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina virtually from her official Ganobhaban residence.

Considering the extent of damages caused by the cyclone Amphan and the recent flood, the project has been formulated to rehabilitate the affected rural roads, culverts and bridges, said Md Zakir Hossain Akand, member of the Planning Commission.

The Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) under the Local Government Division will implement the project at 355 upazilas under 55 districts. The project, which would be bankrolled with the government’s own funds, would be completed by December 2023.

The main project operations include rehabilitation of 2,388.3-kilometre upazila roads, 2,274.7 km of union roads, 78 km RCC roads; reconstruction of 268 bridges with a cumulative length of 4,631.85-metre and 239 culverts with a cumulative length of 692.37 metres; and tree plantation along 328 km roads.

Besides, 5,000 km of upazila roads, 8,000 km of union roads, 12,000 km rural roads; 140,000-metre bridges and culverts on upazila and union roads; and 50,000-metre bridges and culverts on village roads would be constructed.

The project area covers cyclone Amphan-affected 69 upazilas under 14 districts of Khulna, Barisal, Chittagong and Dhaka Divisions, flood-affected 182 upazilas under 28 districts of Rangpur, Rajshahi, Khulna, Dhaka, Mymensingh, Sylhet and Chittagong divisions.

Besides, the project area also covers some 139 upazilas under 22 districts of Rajshahi, Khulna, Dhaka, Mymensingh and Chittagong divisions which were affected due to excessive rain.

Hasina, who is also the chairperson of Ecnec, asked the authorities concerned to complete the works of cyclone Amphan affected roads speedily in coordination with other ministries and divisions so that there is no overlapping of works, said Planning Division Senior Secretary Md Ashadul Islam quoting the prime minister.

A total of five projects involving an overall estimated cost of Tk 7,505.3 crore were approved at the meeting, said Md Ashadul Islam, senior secretary of the planning division.

The other projects involve protecting Gobindi and Holdia areas under Saghata upazila and Katalmari area under Fulchori upazila of Gaibandha district from the erosion on the right embankment of River Jamuna with Tk 798.5 crore, waste system development of Khulna City Corporation with Tk 393.4 crore, and the first revision of Construction of Sheikh Hasina Sangskritik Palli with an additional cost of Tk 102.8 crore.