The government has taken an initiative to implement a mega project in Rajshahi division, excluding Sirajganj, at an estimated cost of Tk 20.80 billion for overall rural infrastructure development.
Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) will implement the project which will cover 58 upazilas in Pabna, Rajshahi, Natore, Naogaon, Chapainawabganj, Bogra and Joypurhat districts.
Ali Ahmed, additional chief engineer of LGED, on Saturday said the project will be implemented by June, 2022 and the entire fund will come from the government exchequer, reports BSS.
He said rural people's accessibility to village market, health centre, educational and other service-delivery institutions will be enhanced after being implemented the project.
The improved infrastructures will reduce transport cost, develop marketing system, increase production and marketing facilities of agricultural products, which will contribute a lot to socioeconomic development in the region, said the engineer.
Under the project, 172.9 kilometers of upazila roads with 140-meter bridges, 367.76 kilometers of Union roads with 636-meter bridges will be constructed.
Moreover, 1,156 kilometers of village roads, including 762-meter bridges, will also be constructed under the mega project.
The additional chief engineer said they will construct 46 growth centres, 250-meter school connecting roads, 396.83-meter culverts and 33.28-kilometer RCC roads.
"LGED will also widen 327.59-kilometer roads and repair 171.07-kilometer village roads and 240.45-kilometer upazila roads," Ahmed said.
A tree plantation programme will be carried out along the roads which will ultimately help reduce carbon emission at a substantial level, the LGED engineer said.