Many development projects, taken up for Bangladesh Railway (BR), have seen slow progress in implementation due to bureaucratic tangles and indecision of the authority concerned.
The authority has extended the time for implementation of at least 17 projects, out of 29. The projects were earlier scheduled to be completed by June 30 last.
Of the 17 projects, at least seven saw less than 30 per cent progress in implementation, although the deadline for completion of the schemes has been over, official data shows.
Project directors and some high-ups of the BR said delay in releasing funds, inviting tenders and waste of time in approving the projects were the main reasons for the slow progress in implementation.
"We couldn't start project work even in the first three years of the stipulated time in the absence of government's decision about funding," Abdul Hai, project director for construction of a railway line from Mongla Port to Khulna, told the FE Friday.
Only 18.10 per cent work of the project had been done till the end of last month and the deadline for completion of the project was extended up to June 30, 2018, according to the BR data.
"Though the timeline has been extended, we are still doubtful whether it would be possible for us to complete the work within the deadline as we are yet to start work on many components of the project," he added.
"Land acquisition and appointment of contractors and some other jobs are yet to start due to the indecision of high-ups. Time is likely to be extended further."
Md Anwarul Huq, another project director for qualitative development of signalling systems at 11 railway stations from Ishwardi to Darshana, said delay in approval of decisions by the ministry officials and fund release and some other issues slowed the pace of his project.
"Due to delay in approval of decisions and release of funds, we couldn't invite tenders in time. So, the project work couldn't be completed in time," he added.
Only 10.5 per cent of the project work had been completed till June last. The tenure of the project has been extended by one more year up to June 30, 2016.
Implementation of the projects was hampered seriously as previous governments failed to make big investments in the railway sector. The incumbent government took up the 29 new projects, but they could not be implemented by June 30, 2015 due to bureaucratic tangles, a high official of the BR said.
In reply to a query, Railway Minister Mujibul Huq said time had been wasted before he joined the ministry. After his assumption of office, all types of work gathered pace, he added.
"I cannot make comment on why previous ministers delayed approval of different decisions and release of funds. After joining the office, I always give priority to complete all projects in time," he said. Railway is a vital mode of communication in all developed countries across the globe, but it is quite different in Bangladesh.
"We are now trying to revive our lost glory by implementing different development and renovation work," the minister said.
"We are now strictly monitoring all the projects so that work could be completed on time. I hope none of the projects would need time extension further."
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17 BR dev projects get time extended
Badrul Ahsan | Published: July 12, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2024 06:01:00
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