For faster transportation of goods through Dhaka-Chittagong highway

The present rate of the expansion of the economy makes it amply clear that its sustenance and acceleration would call for coordinated efforts on a high gear to upgrade and expand the existing physical infrastructural facilities. In this context, the highway between Dhaka and Chittagong merits particular attention. The government, as the reports in the media said, is aware of this need for upgrading the transportation corridor. It has reportedly endorsed, in principle, the need for building a second highway between Dhaka and Chittagong. A detailed project for this proposed highway has to be finalized sooner rather than later. A positive decision to this end and fast implementation of such a project will be highly appreciated by the stakeholders. The existing lone highway between Dhaka and Chittagong is a highway in name only. It is barely a two-lane highway when traffic movement in this corridor have increased significantly over the last two decades. Furthermore, the works for converting it into a four-lane highway are facing different problems. Efforts for completing the works for upgrading the existing highway into a four-lane facility should be geared up. The snags that such works have faced, should be removed at the earliest by taking appropriate remedial actions. Meanwhile, it is now objectively projected that traffic increases on this single highway, even after its conversion to a four-lane facility, would prove to be unbearable in the medium term. Thus, a decision to build a second highway has to be acted upon at the same time without much delay. As a short-term measure for keeping the road transportation between Dhaka and Chittagong reasonably smooth, it has also become imperative to expand, repave and maintain better the existing highway. This heightens the need for expedited actions for expanding the present highway by making it a full-fledged four-lane highway. Only adding a narrow strip to it on the sides will not do. The task of expanding the highway should, indeed, be completed within the stipulated timeframe. As for the second highway, it needs a fresh study whether it should be built on the ground as it would likely gobble up plenty of land. In this context, an elevated four-lane expressway may be a better idea. And this new expressway can be reserved exclusively for use by business cargoes since the new highway is intended to be built on public-private partnership and recovering the costs and concern for profits would, thus, be there. A fast transportation corridor for travel exclusively by businesses could add significantly to their competitiveness. Speed is crucial in exporting cargoes, specially those of the garments industries. A new highway can facilitate much faster movement of commercial cargoes, particularly those of the pivotal garments sector. It is also likely to give a big boost to other businesses, having an export dimension. Users of the new highway, of course, will need to pay for availing it. Then, the older highway in its expanded form can be put to free use but with ease by all types of general users.