TASHKENT, March 24 (Xinhua) -- The World Bank said Monday it has approved a 200-million-U.S. dollar program for modernizing transport infrastructure in Uzbekistan's Surkhandarya region.

The five-year program includes expanding a 91-km section of the M41 road from a two-lane road to a four-lane highway.

The upgrade of the road will benefit around 35,000 drivers and passengers daily, and expand access to transport services and economic opportunities for around 550,000 residents in the surrounding communities, said the bank.

Around 180 bridges and drainage structures will also be built or repaired to withstand increasing climate-related flooding risks.

According to the bank, the transport sector contributes nearly 8 percent to the country's GDP and employs about 1 million people. Modernizing the transport network is seen as a critical step toward unlocking the country's potential as a key transit hub in Central Asia. ■