Sangsad Bhaban: Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith today placed the proposed national budget for 2017-18 FY in the Jatiya Sangsad proposing Taka 28,126 crore for the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry with a view to expanding transport and communication infrastructures in the country.

‘Construction of second Kanchpur Bridge on the Shitalakshya River, second Meghna Bridge on the Meghna River and second Gumti Bridge on the Gumti Rriver on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway is in progress,’ he said.

The minister said the Payra Bridge on the Payra River in Patuakhali and third Shitalakshya Bridge on the Shitalakshya River in Narayanganj are also under construction, adding, ‘As of March 2017, 41 percent of physical progress has been achieved in the construction of the long-awaited Padma Multipurpose Bridge. The Bridges Division firmly believes that construction of the bridge will be completed by 2018.’

He proposed Taka 19,696 crore for the Road Transport and Highways Division, while Taka 8,430 crore has been allocated for Bridges Division with the aim of developing the road transport sector.

‘We have formulated the ‘Revised Strategic Transport Plan (RSTP) 2015-2035’ and started constructing the 20 km long elevated Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) Line-6 from Uttara to Bangladesh Bank. Construction of a tunnel under the Karnaphuli River is underway,’ Muhith added.

In addition, two elevated expressways-one starting from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Kutubkhali on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway and the other from Ashulia to Dhaka EPZ-are under construction, he told the House.

The non-development allocation would be Taka 2,876 crore in Road Transport and Highways Division, while Taka 26 crore for Bridges Division, according to the proposed budget.