PM’s directives for metro-rail in Chattogram a New Year gift: Hasan

Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud Tuesday said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s directives for building metro-rail in Chattogram city is a New Year gift for the port city people. “Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina likes Chattogram a lot. She had announced for shouldering the responsibility of making progress in Chattogram,” he told BSS while expressing his reaction over the premier’s directives. Hasan said: “The premier’s directive in today’s ECNEC meeting is a gift for Chattogram people in the New Year,” he said.”

Earlier, Planning Minister MA Mannan today said a metro rail project will be implemented in Chattogram too. "The Prime Minister said that metro rail should not be limited to Dhaka only, and it should also be made available in Chattogram. Plan has been taken for metro rail from Chattogram airport to the railway station. We'll expand it further in other major cities with airports and rail stations," he said after an ECNEC meeting with ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

In this regard, Hasan, also Awami League Joint General Secretary, said the premier has approved many development projects for water-logging mitigation, sewerage, construction of flyovers and other infrastructural development and most of the projects have already been implemented and others are being implemented. The people of Chattogram have already started getting benefits of the projects, he mentioned.

He said the premier has been making her all-out strides to build Chattogram, the commercial capital of Bangladesh, as a modern and developed city. The information minister said the premier has put emphasis on building sustainable infrastructures by all government bodies concerned for turning Chattogram into a world standard city. "Now, it is our Chattogram people's duty to make the optimum utilization of the honorable prime minister's sincerity and eagerness," he said.

He said once the metro-rail and Chattogram City Corporation's project involving Taka 2,500 crore are implemented, traffic jam will be lessened in Chattogram to a great extent. The minister said a Taka 6,000 crore is underway for mitigating water-logging crisis. When the project works will be completed, the city dwellers will get rid of longstanding problem of water-logging, he said. He said once Chattogram WASA's project involving Taka 4,000 crore is implemented, it will make massive positive impact on waste disposal of the city.

Hasan said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's government didn't only make  oral pledge for Chattogram like other previous governments rather it has been as per its pledges to meet the demands of the people. "As a citizen of Chattogram, I am expressing gratitude to the honorable prime minister. I think all people of this region irrespective of opinion and party affiliation should extend thanks to the premier," he said.

Earlier, the information minister requested the premier few days before ECNEC meeting of October 15, 2019 for introducing metro-rail in Chattogram. Road Transport and Bridges Minister and Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader was also present on the occasion. Hasan apprised of the premier that if initiative of building metro-rail is not taken now for smooth journey, Chattogram people will suffer in the coming days as the city's population has crossed 65 lakh. In view of the demand, Obaidul Quader who was present there also expressed eagerness over introduction of metro-rail service in Chattogram city. In line with the proposal of the information minister and eagerness of road transport and bridges minister, the premier had given directives to begin feasibility study in 2019.

As per the directive of the premier, road transport and bridges minister gave directives to secretary of the ministry and other concerned officials to begin feasibility study of metro-rail immediately. After the ECNEC meeting of 2019, Quader also confirmed journalists about the feasibility study for introducing metro-rail in Chattogram. About the CCC's project involving Taka 2,500 cr, CCC mayor Rezaul Karim Chowdhury's private secretary Abul Hasem said the project will make massive change in road management in Chattogram.

Under the project, 60 feet width on the road from cement crossing on airport road to dockyard will be upgraded, 600 meter overpass, 38 foot over-bridge, 22 culverts, 14 bridges, one overpass, 10 roundabouts will be constructed and 769 kilometers road will be developed and upgraded. Once the project is implemented, Chattogram will turn into the commercial capital in true sense of the term.