A new terminal construction and upgrading Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) has stalled for another preemptive plan, sources said.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has now approved hangar projects instead.
It is evident from the minutes of their 33rd meeting that the CAAB chief engineer informed the committee that the matter became a court issue as the CAAB approved the hangar projects "consciously" on the same site where the country's prime airport's 3rd terminal construction and upgradation project was proposed.
CAAB sources said two owners of the hangars filed cases against the aviation authority when tender was invited for removal of various structures from the selected location for the new terminal.
The committee then advised the CAAB to settle the case pending with the court and finish the terminal-construction works in time.
In reply, the authority informed the committee at the 34th meeting held on January 28 that a hearing was held at the High Court on the ongoing cases on January 23rd this year and that they were in regular communication with those parties for quick settlement of the cases.
The process of design review and preparation of tender documents by the consultants is also underway. CAAB will start the project work after settlement of the cases so that the project is completed timely.
The parliamentary standing committee on civil aviation and tourism at its 34th meeting held 28 January 2018 was informed of the developments.
Chairman of the parliamentary body Faruk Khan at several meetings expressed his dissatisfaction over the slow progress on this important infrastructure for the country. But CAAB representatives said the project work would begin as soon as the cases are disposed of.
The CAAB struck an agreement with four consulting firms--Nippon Koei Co Ltd of Japan, Oriental Consultants Global Co Ltd, CPG Consultants Pte Ltd, and Development Design Consultants Ltd-regarding expansion of HSIA on June 11 last year. The consultants will review the detailed design, tender assistance and supervision.
The cost of HSIA-expansion project has been estimated at Tk 136.10 billion to be bankrolled by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). The cost of consultancy service is Tk 5.70 billion, which will also come from JICA loan.
For the funding, another agreement was signed with the Japanese development-financing agency. Government share in the airport-expansion project is Tk 25 billion.
The consulting firms were supposed to start work last July and complete in April 2022. The CAAB was expected to invite tender for construction in October 2017 and issue work order in March 2018.
The probable date for commencement of the construction work is April next while completion time April 2021 and soft opening December 2019.
The annual cargo-and passenger-handling capacity of HSIA was 0.2 million tonnes and 8.0 million respectively. The cargo-handling capacity has already been outstripped, resulting in regular congestion at the airport. By 2018, the passenger capacity will also be saturated.
After completion of the project, as planned, the passenger capacity will reach 20 million and the cargo-handling 0.5 million tonnes annually.
The JICA has approved the preliminary design and feasibility study done in 2014.
Contacted for comment on the progress on the 3rd terminal-construction- and HSIA-upgradation project, none of the CAAB officials agreed to talk on the issue on record. But one top brass, seeking anonymity, said verdict in both the cases would be announced within February.
"There was no hanger on the proposed land. Rather two contractors who were given works of the 3rd terminal project got locked in a row and sued each other," he claimed.
He also said the tender for construction of the terminal will be invited in a month or so.
Regarding the delay, he said: "It is only normal for a huge project like HSIA upgradation."
Talking to the FE, committee chairman Mr Faruk Khan said the project work had not stalled. "Rather it is a bit delayed due to the cases filed by the hanger owners. Ultimately the project will be completed in time."
The major components of the HSIA-expansion project are: third terminal (226000sqm), new cargo village (41200sqm), VVIP complex (5900sqm), rapid exit and taxiways, connectivity of third terminal with the airport road (ramp, access road) and drainage system and other infrastructures.
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