Donors accept Padma Bridge design

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FE Report
Donors on Tuesday accepted the interim design of the Padma multipurpose bridge and gave an indication to start the tendering process for implementing the mega -structure on time.
Official sources said the donors including the World Bank, Asian Development Bank and Japan International Cooperative Agency (JICA) sat with the bridge consulting firm Maunsell Aecom on Tuesday and reviewed different aspects of the design.
These include technical, pre-qualification, financing and procurement related issues.
"The progress of the Padma bridge project is impressive," Project Director Rafiqul Islam told the FE while commenting on the outcome of the meeting.
He said Padma bridge project is now proceeding towards tendering process as the donors hinted to move ahead to the project's second stage, detailed design and its construction management.
Sources said during the meeting, the donors reviewed the vast working areas of steel-truss composite bridge and emphasised on appointing qualified contractors at all working stages to ensure quality of the US$2.4 billion project.
The consulting firm Maunsell Aecom apprised the representatives of the donors of the entire design and informed that the bridge would be implemented in 14 packages, which were determined on the basis of nature of works. These packages include construction of main bridge, approach road, railway approach, land development, bridge facilities, river training and resettlement.