Dhaka-Ctg Highway widening work set to start Nov 15

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Munima Sultana
The main part of the much-awaited Dhaka-Chittagong Highway widening work is set to start on November 15, officials said Sunday.
They said the three award winners - one Chinese and two local companies - have been asked to start the land development work from six points of the corridor on the day.
The officials said it will start from Daukandi, Comilla portion of the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway, and continue up to the end point of the four-lane project.
"We have set the target to start land development work from 1, 3, 6, 7, 8 and 10 blocks initially," said Project Director Arifur Rahman.
He said a land survey work has now been going on to guide the companies about the level of earthwork in each block. The companies have also been directed about the November 15 target.
The contractors - Sinohydro Corporation of China and two local firms Reza Construction Ltd and Al-Amin Construction Ltd -won the international bid in December, according to which they are bound to complete the widening of the existing two-lane highway into four-lane by 2013.
The Roads and Highways Department (RHD), the executing agency of the 23.82 billion project, has released more than Tk 1.5 billion to the winners to meet the public procurement rule of disbursing 10 per cent of the project cost.
The officials said all the companies have already started their work and developed respective project offices at various sites.
Though almost 10 months have passed after the bidding, the officials said the time has been used to complete various initial work like establishing laboratories, cutting trees along the roadside etc.
"They have set up seven out of 10 laboratories and have cut 70 per cent of the targeted trees required to widen the highway," the PD told the FE, refuting the allegation that the important artery project work has been delayed.
Plans to expand the Dhaka-Chittagong corridor into four lanes were initiated in 2004, but its bidding process was cancelled twice in 2006 and 2008 due to alleged unfair practices.
According to a RHD study, 18,000 motor vehicles on an average use the corridor everyday, making it the country's busiest highway.