The cost of the Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane project has been revised down by Tk 3.8 billion to Tk 34.37 billion from Tk 38.17 billion.
Sources said the project office has lowered the cost as it will not need the excess amount of money to carry out last-minute work of the 192-kilometre national highway.
They said the amount of money has been saved as there is no need for utility shifting in some areas on the highway and land acquisition.
"Prices of construction materials like rod were lower than the cost estimated in the development project proposal (DPP). Besides, some extra funds were kept for land acquisition. These have lowered the project cost," a senior official said.
He said though the project tenure will end in June next, it has been confirmed that they would not need this amount of fund.
It is the government's first national highway expansion project that was upgraded to four lanes taking more than 12 years.
Even though it is the government's priority project, its cost was revised up four times from Tk 21.68 billion to Tk 38.17 billion due to failure to complete the project in time. The project time was first extended till 2014 from 2012 and then 2016.
Cost was up, in cases more than 75 per cent what the officials claimed due to changes in design and need for construction of additional infrastructures like bypass, flyovers and overpass to ensure uninterrupted traffic.
The latest revision was approved in February 2016 with extending the project tenure up to June this year.
According to Roads and Highways Department (RHD), the country's prime national corridor has already been opened to traffic. However, construction of one bridge and two overpasses is nearing completion.
Incompletion of Elliotganj and Feni bridges and Comilla overpass has come as a blow to the project. It was scheduled to be completed by December last.
Due to unsatisfactory performance of the contractor, the government has handed over the work of three infrastructures to the Bangladesh Army, extending the time up to June.
The project office has already prepared a report on completion of the project and will submit it to the Planning Commission (PC).
smunima@yahoo.com
