On 6 September 2016, the “SASEC Road Link Project-11: Elenga-Hatikumrul-Rangpur Highway Four-Lane Upgradation” project gets the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC)’s approval.
This is a part of the South Asian Sub-regional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) project, which will serve as a vital step towards upgrading of transport infrastructure with Bangladesh, Nepal, India and Bhutan.
Currently 12-19 thousand vehicles ply daily between North Bengal and Dhaka. The number is expected to increase to 43 thousand by 2021.
The 190.4 km Elenga-Hatikumrul-Rangpur 4-lane highway will cost $ 1.5 billion. The Asian Development Bank would loan $ 1.18 billion while the remaining $ 320 million would be provided by the government of Bangladesh. The project would be completed through 11 packages.
The four lane will be 24 feet each way with 12 feet separate lane in both side for slow moving vehicles. There will be 3 flyovers at Elenga, Kodda, Gobindaganj and each of them are 2.6 km long. A 1.5 km long interchange at Hatikumrul; a 411 meter railway overpass at Bogra; 32 bridges; 161 culverts; 11 foot over bridges; 39 underpass for slow moving vehicles (each of which are 16 feet) will also be constructed.
The highway would be upgraded through Kalihati upazila of Tangail, Sirajganj Sadar, Kamarkhand, Ullapara, Raiganj upazilas, Bogra Sadar, Sherpur, Shibganj upazilas, Gobindaganj, Polashbari, Sadullapur upazilas of Gaibandha, Rangpur Sadar, Pirganj and Mithapukur upazilas.
The Elenga-Hatikumrul-Rangpur 4-lane highway will be implemented by August 2021.
Meanwhile, 3 of 4 contract signed on 15 September 2015 with 3 separate company to improve the 70 km Joydevpur-Tangail-Elenga road into 4-lane highway. The government acquired 35,433 acres of land by its own money to implement the project. It will cost $ 383.38 million. 5 flyovers, 26 bridges and 60 culverts will be constructed in this road. The project scheduled to complete on October 2018.
After completion of this two projects, it will take only four and a half hours to go to Rangpur from Dhaka, which now takes seven to eight hours.
NOTE: 70 km Joydevpur-Tangail-Elenga and 190.4 km Elenga-Hatikumrul-Rangpur project is the part of multi-dimensional plan adopted by the government to upgrade 1,752-km highways to four-lane road along with constructing road dividers and two lanes on both sides for slow moving vehicular traffic (SMVT) to avoid accidents. The government has completed feasibility studies and detailed design in June 2015 for up-gradation of 1,752 km 4-lane highways under the technical assistance for sub-regional road transport project preparatory facility.