WB project helping better rural connectivity for BD

A World Bank project helps improve the rural road network in Bangladesh.
It provides rural communities with better access to schools, hospitals, markets and jobs, said a press release.
The project titled Second Bangladesh Rural Transport Improvement Project (RTIP II) benefited approximately 22 million people living near project area including the roads, growth centre markets and waterways.
The project also built the capacity of government institutions to better manage rural transport infrastructure, the release added.
Aimed at improving and maintaining around 5,250km of union and upazila roads and 50 growth centre markets in 26 districts, the project so far has completed maintenance work of 920.25km roads.
It also piloted the performance-based maintenance contracting (PBMC) and the low-cost restoration of rural waterways. The PBMC pilot aimed to bring a positive shift in the road maintenance business.
The rural waterways pilot will provide better connectivity to the poor and isolated rural communities who don't have access to roads but only have access to waterways.
Until February 2015, contracts for 1,010km road have already been signed. The project has so far disbursed US$ 52 million. The initial repair work of 82.31km PBMC out of 190.45km is completed.
Twelve contracts for around 100km upazila roads and 32 contracts for around 240km of union roads have been awarded. The first rural waterways pilot is under implementation.
The project is also developing a comprehensive rural roads transport safety framework. The framework will develop road safety standards and involve the primary school teachers to raise community road safety awareness.
The project also has aims to enhance the capacity of the implementing agency-Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) -- in planning, monitoring, finance, asset management, administration, and governance.
The World Bank will provide a total of $ 302 million to implement the project.
    syful-islam@outlook.com