The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved a project to upgrade Jatrabari-Demra road into four-lane one.
The approval came from the first ECNEC meeting of the newly-formed government held at the NEC conference room in the city with its Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair, reports UNB.
The Road Transport and Highways Division will implement the project by December 2020 spending Tk 3.69 billion with an aim to ease traffic congestion at the entrance of the capital city.
As per the project, the 5.4-kilometre-road from Mayor Hanif Flyover at Jatrabari to Sultana Kamal Bridge at Demra will be upgraded into four-lane one.
Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said the entire fund of the project will come from the national exchequer.
The new planning minister said his goal will be to bring more dynamism into the activities of the ministry and the Planning Commission to push up the GDP growth further.
"We'll have to maintain utmost carefulness while spending public fund," he added.
The ECNEC on Tuesday approved a total of eight projects involving an estimated cost of Tk 18.93 billion.
Among the approved eight projects, seven are new while the remaining one is a revised project.
The new seven projects include Eradication of PPR Diseases and Control of Hand-Foot-and-Mouth diseases Project involving Tk 3.45 billion, Production and Marketing of Nutritious and High Valued non-major crops for Alleviating Poverty Project with Tk 2.06 billion.
Development of the existing seven textile vocational institutes and establishment of new six Textile Vocational Institutes Project with 3.54 billion, and Museum building extension and construction of other physical infrastructures of Bangladesh Folk Arts and Crafts Foundation with Tk 1.47billion.
Chollisha (Bagra)-Kunia-Medni-Razurbazar Link Highway in Netrakona Project with Tk 2.57 billion, and Construction of nine narrow bridges and replacing nine dilapidated bridges with RCC/girders on Gobindaganj-Chatak-Doarabazar road with Tk 1.12 billion.
Besides, the revised project is Extension of Gopalganj BSCIC Industrial Estate (3rd Revsion) with Tk 1.03 billion.