The government plans to upgrade the Faridpur-Kuakata highway to a four-lane in a bid to boost tourism and improve the overall road communication system.
The 236.74-kilometre highway from Bhanga of Faridpur to Kuakata of Patuakhali to four-lane will be upgraded to four-lane.
To this end, the Roads and Highways Division already sent a draft project to the Planning Commission for land acquisition, reports BSS.
"We've already received the Development Project Proposal (DPP) from the Roads and Highways Division in this regard," said a Planning Commission official.
The official also said the RHD proposed the project with an estimated cost of Taka 18.99 billion.
He said as part of materialising the four-lane highway, the Division initially proposed to acquire some 321 acres of land along the existing highway by June 2021.
The official said Kuakata is a popular destination for the sea beach loving local and foreign tourists after Cox's Bazar.
But there was no such initiative to upgrade the road network linking Kuakata since the independence, he said.
Once the highway is upgraded to four-lane gradually, it will establish smooth and safe road communication between Dhaka and Kuakata through the Padma Bridge.
Another official at the Roads and Highways Division said the proposed four-lane highway would have separate 'service lane' for the common people.
The official said considering the growing demand of traffic, the importance of 32.50-kilometre long highway from Faridpur district headquarters to Bhanga and then some 204.24-kilometre highway from Bhanga to Kuakata is growing day by day.
"Under the circumstances, the government has planned to upgrade this highway in four-lane to ensure smooth and safe plying of passenger vehicles and goods-laden vehicles," added the official.
The project area covers parts of Gopalganj, Madaripur, Barisal and Patuakhali districts.
The official also informed that once the work of land acquisition is completed, the government would then opt for either local fund or foreign fund to implement the main four-lane highway project.