Cost of Padma Bridge in creased by Tk 2412 cr

Staff Correspondent: Due to various reasons including the duration of one year, the cost of ‘Padma multipurpose bridge construction’ project has been increased by Tk 2 thousand 412 crore 13 lakh. The cost of the last Padma Setu project was Tk 30,193.39 crore. In the new third revised proposal, the cost of the project is fixed at Tk 32,605.52 crore.
Along with this, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved 12 projects with an expenditure of about Tk 19,598.84 crore. Out of this, government funding is Tk 6,260.72 crore, foreign loan is Tk 13,203.66 crore and organization’s own funding is Tk 134.46 crore.
The approval was given at the ECNEC meeting held at Sher Bangla Nagar NEC conference room on Tuesday (April 18) chaired by Prime Minister and ECNEC Chairperson Sheikh Hasina.
Objective of the Project: The main objective of the project is to construct the longest bridge in Bangladesh with a length of 9.83 km (main bridge 6.15 km + viaduct 3.68 km) and a width of 22.10 meters over the Padma river.
Project Area: Munshiganj, Madaripur and Shariatpur Districts Lauhjung, Srinagar, Jajira and Shibchar Upazila The original sanctioned project was approved from July 2007 to June 2015.
After this, the first revised proposal was approved for the period from January 2009 to December 2015. Then December 2018, December 2019, June 2021. The project was supposed to be completed by June 2023 at the latest, but the deadline has been extended to June 2024.
The cost of the original approved project was Tk 10,161.75 crore. Later, Tk 20,507.20 crorewas approved in the first revised proposal. In the second revised proposal, Tk 28,793.39 crore was approved.
Major Activities: 9.83 km of main bridge (including road and rail viaducts), 16.22 km of river management (including other river management works), 12.12 km of Jazira link road and bridge ind facilities, Mawa link road and bridge ind facilities, service area -2, Rehabilitation and Land Acquisition.
At the end of the Eknek meeting, a member of the physical infrastructure department of the Planning Commission Mohammad Emdad Ullah Mian said that due to the increase in the rate of VAT and income tax by the government, the rate of consultants employed for the main bridge and river management work has increased.
Additional work has to be done for operation and maintenance of the bridge and ancillary civil works. On the occasion of inauguration of Padma bridge expenditure, rise in foreign exchange rate, provision of money due to outstanding claims of contractors of main bridge and river management works, design of main bridge piles changed.
Mentioning the reasons for the increase in the cost of Padma Bridge, the secretary said, additional money for construction of foundation platform of 400 KV transmission tower, filling of potholes created deep in the river at Mawa end, expenses for shifting Kanthalbari to Banglabazar Ferry Ghat, design changes for Mawa river management works, expenses due to change in size of geo bag. has increased Expenditure increased on BIWTA ferry channel dredging, closure dam, purchase of survey vessels from Majhikandi to Shimulia.