ROAD RE-CLASSIFICATION ISSUES: Clarification on responsibility of Feeder Roads. Presented by Md. Amir Azam Executive Engineer RIMC, LGED.

Classification of Roads in Bangladesh. The ownership and responsibility of the overall road network in Bangladesh is unclear over time. Roads are now basically classified after the name of the agency who built it, though PC has taken some initiatives to classify roads. The concept of Feeder Roads needs review as its geometric and technical standard are same for both of its category, and RHD and LGED disputed on its ownership. So its time to update classifications so that road network becomes a logical hierarchy.

Road Classification – PC, 1984.

Road Classification – WB & PC, 1996.

Initiatives Taken for Road Re-classification The first meeting was held on ownership of Feeder roads and its developmental responsibility on under the chairmanship of Honorable Communication Minister and it was decided that both RHD and LGED can work on Feeder roads with proper coordination. A meeting was held in Planning Commission on with the chairmanship of Member, Physical Planning, PC on "Reclassification of RHD Road Network" and a proposal was initiated that about 2757 Kms. of Feeder Road is to be upgraded to Regional Road and 1440 kms. of Feeder roads is to be upgraded to National Roads for its higher traffic volume.That meeting was also proposes to reclassify RHD Roads as Class-A, Class-B and Class-C roads based on traffic volume. A subsequent meeting was held with State Minister for Planning in the chair on at the PC as WB requires separation of management responsibility of primary and secondary road network to RHD and LGED, where decisions were taken accordingly, and RHD and LGED are requested to submit proposal to that effect. Simultaneously Road Sector Reform Study and Land Transport Policy Formulation are going on.

Proposed Road Classification - LGED

Comparison of Definition by PC, RHD & LGED Definition of Planning Commission : Feeder Roads Type-A (FRA) : Roads connecting Upazila HQs to the arterial net work. Feeder Roads Type-B (FRB) : Roads connecting growth centre to the RHD network (FRA or arterial road) or to the Upazila HQs. Definition Proposed by RHD : Feeder Roads: Type-A(FRA) : Roads connecting Upazila HQs and important growth centers/places of economic or strategic importance with the nearest national/regional highway network or Roads connecting Upazila HQs with each other and with motorized vpd<400 in both the cases. Definition Proposed by LGED : District Roads (DR): Roads connecting Upazila HQs with District HQ or higher road system by a single connection. Feeder Roads (FR): Roads connecting Growth Centres (as identified by Planning Commission) with Upazila HQs or higher road system or each other.

Comparative Statement on Road Classifications Rural Development Strategy’84 of planning commision Rural Infrastructure Strategy Study ’96 of World Bank & PC Newly Proposed by LGED ClassificationDefinitionClassificationDefinitionClassificationDefinition I. Arterial Road System : I. Primary Road System : 1.National Highways Highways connecting a region with the national capital Category – A Category – B 1.National Highways (NH) Roads connecting national capital with divisional head quarters, old district headquarters, port cities and international highways 1.National Highways (NH) Highways connecting Divisional HQ. or Sea ports with National Capital or each others Category – A Category – B 2.Regional Highways Highways connecting district HQs or River ports with Divisional HQ, NH or each others 2.Regional Highways (RH) Road connecting different regions with each other, which are not connected by the national highways 2.Regional Highways (RH) Highways connecting district HQs or River ports with Divisional HQ, NH or each others

3. District Roads (UR) Roads connecting Sub-divisional Head Quarters with district Head Quarters and with each other within the district. 2.Feeder Road Type-A (FRA) Roads connecting Thana headquarters to the arterial network 3.District Roads (DR) Roads connecting Upazila HQ by a single connection with District HQ or higher road system. Rural Development Strategy’84 of planning commission Rural Infrastructure Strategy Study ’96 of World Bank & PC Newly Proposed by LGED ClassificationDefinitionClassificationDefinitionClassificationDefinition I. Arterial Road System : I. Primary Road System : II. Feeder Road System : II. Secondary Road System : 4. Feeder Roads Roads connecting Upazila Head Quarters and other Growth Centres with the arterial road system. 2.Feeder Road Type-B (FRB) Roads connecting Growth centers to the RHD network (FRA or arterial road) or to the Thana Headquarters 4.Feeder Roads (FR) Roads connecting Growth Centers (as identified by Planning Commission) with Upazila HQs or higher road system, or each others. Comparative Statement on Road Classifications

Rural Development Strategy’84 of planning commission Rural Infrastructure Strategy Study ’96 of World Bank & PC Newly Proposed by LGED ClassificationDefinitionClassificationDefinitionClassificationDefinition II. Feeder Road System : II. Secondary Road System : 4. Feeder Roads Roads connecting Upazila Head Quarters and other Growth Centres with the arterial road system. 2.Feeder Road Type-B (FRB) Roads connecting Growth centers to the RHD network FRA or arterial road) or to the Thana Headquarters 5.Upazila Roads (UR) Roads connecting Union HQs with Upazila HQs or higher road system or each others. 6.Market/Hat Connecting Road (MHR) Roads Connecting Markets/Hats (other than Growth Centers) with Upazila HQ or higher road system or each other. Comparative Statement on Road Classifications

5. Category R 1 (Upazila Roads) Roads connecting Union HQs/markets with the Upazila Head Quarters or road system. 5.Rural Road class 1 (R1) connecting union headquarters/l ocal markets with the Thana headquarters or road system; 7.Union Roads (UR) Roads connecting villages and farms with Union HQ or local markets or each others. Rural Development Strategy’84 of planning commission Rural Infrastructure Strategy Study ’96 of World Bank & PC Newly Proposed by LGED ClassificationDefinitionClassificationDefinitionClassificationDefinition III. Rural Road System : 6. Category R 2 (Union Roads) Roads connecting Villages and farms to local markets/union HQ. 6.Rural Road class 2 (R2) connecting villages and farms to local markets/union headquarters; and 8.Village Roads (VR) Roads within a village to village 7. Category R3 (Village Roads) Roads within a Village. 7.Rural Road class 3 (R3) Roads within Villages 9.Community Road (CR) Roads within a para or connecting local centers. Comparative Statement on Road Classifications

Policy Government policy should be ensuring a logical split of responsibilities between RHD and LGED and other Local Road Authority. This will be based on the principle that RHD should construct and maintain Primary Road System and LGED should construct and maintain Secondary Road System and Local Councils construct and maintain Rural and other Road System. Design Standards should be different for different classes and based on traffic demand. Government would issue a notification to codify above with definite classifications, standards and authorities responsible for construction and maintenance.

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