The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) has proposed widening of Barisal-Patuakhali-Kuakata highways into four-lane despite, though the condition of the Dhaka-Barisal highways is poor, officials said on Wednesday.
They said that the government-owned road developer had sought approval for a preliminary development project proposal (DPP) for widening the present Barisal-Kuakata road with the financial support from China.
The RHD has recently sent the proposal for widening the 112 kilometre-long Barisal-Patuakhali-Kuakata highways. The cost is estimated at Tk 41.19 billion (US$ 502 million),
In 2016, the Planning Commission (PC) rejected the proposal for widening the 236km Faridpur (Bhanga)-Barisal-Kuakata road into four-lane highways due to a significant cost involvement with it, officials said.
In January 2016, the RHD had sought approval for the preliminary proposal from the Commission.
A senior commission official said since the government always places emphasis on priority and viable projects rather than less priority and non-viable ones, they will carefully review it.
"Since a smooth connection of the Barisal divisional town with the capital city Dhaka is more important than a small town, so the authorities should widen the more important road than the less-priority one," he told the FE requesting for anonymity.
The commission official said that they would first scrutinise the necessity of the road upgrading project.
Then they will seek approval for the Tk 41.19 billion proposal from the planning minister before it moves towards the next approval process, he added.
A RHD official said if the planning minister approves the preliminary proposal, it would request the Economic Relations Division (ERD) to look for funds.
"After getting assurance of the funds from any donors including China, we will prepare the Development Project Proposal (DPP). Then we will seek approval from the Planning Commission again. If it approves, we will start the highways upgrades work," he added.
Since Kuakata is one of the important tourist destinations of Bangladesh, they want to upgrade the road, the RHD official added.
He also said that they would upgrade the Dhaka-Barisal road in the near future too.
A senior government official said: "Actually the RHD is busy with the Barisal-Patuakhali-Kuakata road upgrade project rather than improving the Dhaka-Barisal connection as China has pledged the department for the financial support."
If China provides funds for the project, it will be costly buyers' credit and Bangladesh will have now adequate control over the quality work of the highways, he said without being identified.
The Barisal-Patuakhali-Kuakata road has been proposed to upgrade under the SASEC connectivity initiative where the government wants to connect the neighbouring countries and regions.
RHD wants to upgrade the road by December 2022.
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