The government is planning to develop the Jashore-Magura highways into four-lane to ease transportation with Benapole land port and southern districts in the country. The project also aims to make transportation system sustainable and smooth in Jashore, Faridpur, Magura Jhenaidah, Narail, Meherpur, Chuadanga districts and Benapole land port areas.
As part of the project, construction of four lanes will be started first from Dartana of Jashore to Bhaina of Magura. The government is also developing Jashore-Benapole and Jashore-Khula highways into four-lane. Officials concerned said, once implemented, it will ease goods transportation from Benapole land port to across the country. In this regard, the Road Transport and Highways Division (RTHD) has taken a project to acquire 511.29 acres of land for the construction of 55.29 kilometres of highways.
The proposal in this regard has been sent to the planning commission for the approval of the executive committee of national economic council (ECNEC). The estimated cost of the project is Tk 1,986 crore. The project is aimed to be completed by 2021. The highway with four-lanes will pass through the Magura city where about 12 kilometres long by-pass road would also be constructed.
Sources at the RTHD said, Jashore-Magura highways will play vital roles for developing the country’s economy. Meanwhile, the government has decided to develop all the highways into four-lane highways across the country. As per the decision, 237 kilometres of four-lane highways between Faridpur and Kuakanta via Bhanga-Barisal-Patuakahli will also be constructed.
These roads will set links to Kuakata and Faridpur roads. Bhanga is going to be one of the important transportation hubs in the southwestern region after the completion of the Padma Bridge construction. The government has already constructed the Dhaka-Mymensingh and the Dhaka-Chattogram four-lane highways. It is also developing at least three other four-lane highways--Joydevpur-Elenga, Elenga-Rangpur and Dhaka-Mawa.