The government is set undertake a project to expand Dhaka and Western Zone Transmission Grid to different upazilas in 17 districts of Dhaka, Khulna and Barishal divisions.
The approval of the Tk 59.50 billion Dhaka and Western Power Grid Transmission System Project came on Tuesday at the weekly ECNEC meeting with the council’s Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved six projects involving Tk 73.13 billion at the meeting, as per agency reports.
"Today's ECNEC meeting cleared six projects involving Tk 73.13 billion," said Planning Minister MA Mannan while briefing reporters after the meeting.
Of the total cost, Tk 27.79 billion will come from government fund, while Tk 42.12 billion from foreign sources as project loan. For the expansion of power grid project, Tk 3.22 billion from the own fund of organisation concerned (PGCB), he revealed.
Among the approved projects, five are new and one is a revised one, which is Construction of Link Road from Natore Road to Rajshahi Bypass (2nd revised) involving TK 2.07 billion.
According to the Planning Commission factsheet, the Dhaka and Western Zone Transmission Grid Expansion Project will be implemented by June 2024.
Power Grid Company of Bangladesh (PGCB) will implement the project with an estimated cost of Tk 59.50 billion in different upazilas of 17 districts – Dhaka, Faridpur, Madaripur, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Gopalganj, Pirojpur, Bhola, Jhalakathi, Patuakhali, Bagerhat, Jashore, Khulna, Kushtia, Meherpur and Satkhira.
Of the cost, Tk 42.12 billion will come from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) as project loan, while Tk 14.16 billion from the national exchequer and Tk 3.22 billion from the own fund of PGCB.
The other four projects are:
- Improvement, Width Expansion and Straightening of Magura-Narail Regional Highway involving with Tk 7.24 billion
- Improvement of Bogura-Sariakandia district Highway and Construction of Ariarghat Bridge over Bangali River at Tk 2.41 billion
- Upgrading Palbari-Dartana-Manihar-Murali National Highway (Jashore) into four-lane at Tk 1.31 billion
- Improvement and Width Expansion of Feni (Masterpara)-Alokdia-Valukia-Laskarhat-Chhagalnaiya (Shantirhat) District Highway with Tk 598.5 million.
Ministers, state ministers and secretaries concerned were present at the meeting.