Shawdesh Desk: Prime minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday directed authorities to construct separate service lane on highways across the country for slow-moving motorised and non-motorised vehicles, including rickshaws.

She also directed the education ministry to affiliate government colleges to their nearest public university in a given area.

The PM issued the directives while presiding over a meeting of the executive committee of the national economic council at the planning commission.

Planning minister MA Mannan disclosed the above at a briefing at the same venue, PM’s directives went against the decision of the road transport and bridges ministry taken several years ago that the national highways would be off-limits to slow-moving vehicles.

Mannan said that separate lanes for slow-moving vehicles like rickshaws and push-carts as well as bus bay for smooth operation of buses will be built on highways as per general directive of the PM.

Besides, the PM wanted establishment of rest houses, built at a certain interval on the highways as well as renovation of risky and old bridges, he said.

He informed that instruction was already given to identify sites for rest houses and shopping centres by private parties.

Mannan said that the PM directed the education ministry to affiliate the government colleges to their nearest public universities citing examples of seven government colleges in the capital city which have been re-affiliated to Dhaka University.

The process will be followed in all the regions across the country, he said.

He also said the PM wanted establishment of playgrounds, laboratories and libraries in the educational institutions.

Before the establishment of National University in 1992, the government colleges were affiliated to their nearest public universities.

Mannan said the ECNEC approved 13 proposals to be implemented at a projected cost of Tk 7,744.47 crore.

The approved proposals include widening of the Bogura-Natore national highways at a cost of Tk 707 and construction of service lane and bus bay from Amin Bazar in Savar to Paturia in Manikganj on the Dhaka-Aricha highway at a cost of Tk 696.31 crore by 2021.

The expansion of a district highway in Laksam will be accomplished at a cost of Tk 61 crore while the project of modernising street lights in the Chittagong city corporation area will be implemented at a cost of Tk 260.91 core.

The government will renovate old post offices at a cost of Tk 225 crore with a revision to the original project worth Tk 48 crore.

According to the revised proposal, around 200 post offices will be built in addition to the previous 67 post offices.

The government will spend Tk 987.79 crore for further development of the Shahjalal University of Science and Technology and Tk 226 crore for modernisation of the directorate of factory inspection and its expansion in 13 districts.

A project worth about Tk 311 crore will be implemented for rejuvenation and establishment of fertiliser depots and another project worth Tk 609 crore was taken to protect a part of Bhola district from river erosion.

The Bangabandhu Safari Park in Cox’s Bazar will be expanded at a cost of Tk 126 crore while nine bridges in Brahmanbaria wil be renovated at Tk 120 crore.

The ECNEC approved two projects aiming at strengthening power distribution in Chittagong. The estimated cost of the projects is more than Tk 3,400 crore.