By IANS,
Dhaka : The Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Bangladesh government Monday signed an agreement for $160 million in loans to develop the urban public transport system in the capital.
The assistance will help develop a 20-km bus rapid transit (BRT) route, connecting the Dhaka North City Corporation and Gazipur City Corporation areas, Xinhua cited the Manila-based lender as saying in a statement.
It will help construct sidewalks, mixed-traffic lanes, high-capacity drainage systems, a BRT depot and terminal facilities, and 155 access roads for non-motorized transport.
The project will install 1,000 energy-efficient streetlights along the corridor, improve 10 markets, 141 local roads, and two pedestrian-friendly roads.
The project will directly benefit more than one million people.
The total cost of the project will be around $255 million. L’Agence Française de Developpement (AFD) will co-finance the project with $45 million, the Global Environment Facility will provide $4.6 million, and the government of Bangladesh will be providing $45.4 million.
Saifuddin Ahmed, joint secretary of Bangladesh’s Economic Relations Division, and M. Teresa Kho, country director of ADB’s Bangladesh resident mission, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides.