The Road Transport and Bridges Ministry has decided to cancel a Tk 5,651 crore project for building a 15.31-kilometre elevated road in the haor region of Kishoreganj.

The decision was made due to environmental concerns and questions about the project's cost-effectiveness, said Mohammad Abdur Rouf, secretary of the Bridges Division, at a programme yesterday.

He said the project was still in its early stages, with only Tk 150 crore disbursed for land acquisition, which could be recovered.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved the project in January 2023.

It aimed to construct a road from Mithamoin upazila headquarters to Karimganj upazila in Kishoreganj, establishing direct road links between the district and Dhaka, Sylhet, and other parts of the country, ensuring smooth, all-weather communication.

Rouf said the ministry made the decision after reviewing various aspects of the project following the assumption of office by the interim government after the July uprising.

"The process to formally cancel the project is underway," he added.

He was speaking at a views-exchange meeting at the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), attended by Sheikh Moinuddin, special assistant to the chief adviser for the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry; heads of different agencies under the ministry; and members of Reporters for Rail and Road -- a journalist platform covering the transport sector.

FOCUS ON BETTER COORDINATION

Moinuddin pointed out long-standing coordination gaps among agencies under the ministry, with little data-sharing or collaboration.

This has persisted for decades, but they now intend to initiate positive changes, he said.

To address various issues, weekly meetings will be held with top officials of the agencies concerned. Representatives from the Dhaka city corporations and other road management bodies will also participate, said the special assistant.

He also said a website will be launched to host details of all transport-related projects, allowing agencies to easily access information and review existing projects before launching new ones.

Talking about the high cost of different development projects, he said a committee comprising representatives from different agencies will be formed to assess project costs.

Moinuddin stressed that no future project would be approved without securing the necessary land first, as land acquisition remains a key challenge in project implementation.

On the long-delayed bus route rationalisation initiative, he said the project will be launched soon.

"Now that there's no political government at this moment, there's no political pressure in implementing the project. This is the right time to move forward," he said.

Moinuddin also said a pilot project is underway to install a traffic signalling system from the High Court intersection to the Airport to ease congestion.

As part of the plan, trained students will be deployed to help manage traffic, ensuring vehicles follow signals properly and stop at designated points.

Regarding battery-run autorickshaws, he said the LGRD Ministry is preparing a guideline. Once finalised, these vehicles will be allowed only on designated roads.