Govt plans to expand Ctg–Cox’s Bazar road to 4 Lanes

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam has said that the government has taken a plan to upgrade the Chattogram–Cox’s Bazar highway into a four-lane road to improve connectivity and reduce accidents.

Responding to a question in parliament, the minister said a 26.21-kilometre section of the highway will be widened to four lanes under the first phase of the Highway Improvement Project through a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiative on Thursday (April 16). The project is expected to be completed by 2029.

He added that the project includes a 2.6-kilometre flyover. A feasibility study is currently underway for the remaining approximately 48 kilometres, while discussions are ongoing with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) regarding financing.

The minister expressed optimism that a decision on upgrading the remaining part of the highway to four lanes would be taken soon.

Acknowledging the road’s high accident rate, he said several measures have already been taken in accident-prone areas.

The 159-kilometre Chattogram–Cox’s Bazar highway has long been considered hazardous, prompting repeated demands for its expansion to four lanes. Several studies have been conducted over the years, including one by a Swedish consultancy between 2013 and 2015, which estimated the project cost at around Tk 10,000 crore.