The proposed budget for fiscal year 2014-2015 has highlighted a series of initiatives to be taken for the development of communication infrastructure, like roads and railway.
The budget proposal termed the existing road infrastructure insufficient and noted the country would continue to be engaged in repairing, maintaining, improving and expanding the existing roads on a priority basis to keep pace with the growing economic activities.
The proposed measures include conversion of nationally important highways into four lanes gradually, continuation of investment to reform and modernise the railway, upgrading of Dhaka-Chittagong rail corridor into a double-track one and construction of the circular rail-road track around Dhaka city.
Mentioning traffic congestion as a key hindrance to smooth economic activities, the proposed budget outlined the construction of flyovers, along with other initiatives, to mitigate traffic jam in the capital.
According to the budget proposal, initiatives are being taken to implement the MRT Line-6 project from Uttara to Motijheel under the supervision of Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) as per the plan.
Meanwhile, the Metro Rail Act, 2014, has been sent to the cabinet for its approval. A contract has been signed with the investment partner to construct the 46.73-km-long Dhaka elevated expressway from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Kutubkhali on Dhaka-Chittagong Highway.
Besides, pre-feasibility study on the 42-km-long Dhaka-Ashulia elevated expressway from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Chandra under the public private project (PPP) has been completed.
The proposed budget has also a plan to construct an international convention centre on the other side of the Buriganga and a flyover starting from Shantinagar crossing and across the river to ensure faster communication with the convention centre.
The feasibility of establishing a container terminal either at Shayestaganj or Srimangal will be assessed by conducting a survey. In this respect, the prospect of growing trading activities with the Indian state of Tripura will be taken into consideration.
Dhaka-Mongla and Chittagong-Cox's Bazar rail lines will be built in phases. Alongside the activities relating to making the railway commercially viable, medical colleges, five-star hotels, shopping malls etc. will be built to ensure proper utilisation of railway land.
