Korean co selected as design consultant for 2nd BRT route

FE Team | Published: October 21, 2013 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

Munima Sultana Work on the second Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) route from the Airport point to the Jhilmil housing project across the Buriganga river is expected to begin soon following the selection of a Korean company as the design consultant for it. The cabinet committee on government purchase has already approved the Sunjin Engineering and Architecture Co Lit of Korea as the design consultant ending a four-month impasse that arose over quotation of a higher price than the actual cost for a detailed design of the 22km BRT route. Officials said the company that got the highest score in both technical and financial bids quoted a price that was higher by Tk 50 million than the actual cost for its consultancy work for the project. This has caused delay in the selection of the design consultant. They said the Korean company was chosen from among the four short-listed companies by the evaluation committee because of its highest score and its proposals were reviewed by the World Bank. "The bank has given 'no objection' to the entire process involving short-listing, technical evaluation, combined evaluation and agreed minutes and draft contract," said an official concerned. He said the additional Tk 50 million now would be added to the revised development project proposal (DPP). A feasibility study was earlier conducted by an Australian firm. It found the Airport-Mohakhali-Ramna-Gulistan-Nayabazar-Jhilmil route feasible for the second BRT line. Officials said with the approval by the cabinet committee on September 29 last the Korean company would now work for 16 months to complete the detailed design of the entire route. The progress in feasibility study and detailed design of another BRT route from Gazipur to the Airport point is satisfactory. When completed, the two mass transport routes will enable more than 30,000 passengers to cross the corridor per hour.