The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) has sought two more years to June 2024 to complete construction of an 8.5km road from Matarbari at Maheshkhali Island to Cox's Bazar, officials said on Wednesday.
They said the expected second revision would also increase the project cost by 70.50 per cent to Tk 10.27 billion from its original estimation of Tk 6.02 billion.
With the financial assistance of Japan, the RHD took up the road project in July 2015 with a target to complete it by July 2020.
But, the developers could not complete the project in the last seven years, including the first revision with time extension up to June 2022 and cost escalation to Tk 6.59 billion.
The road project is one of the most important corridors of the country as it aims at connecting the proposed deep seaport and energy hub to be developed at Matarbari.
The road will connect Maheshkhali Island with the national highways (N-01) mainland in Cox's Bazar district.
Some integrated projects are being implemented at Matarbari that include a new deep seaport, a number of power plants, a LNG terminal, and a modern township.
Although the RHD has failed to construct the 8.47km road in the last seven years, it has proved its higher implementation capacity in purchasing 12 luxury cars, motor vehicles and speedboats.
The RHD has purchased two jeeps, 4 double-cabin pickups, five motor bikes and one speedboat at Tk 35.42 million just after starting the project in 2015, said a government official.
It has also completed construction of the office building for its executive engineer at Cox's Bazar with the fund from the project.
When asked, a RHD official said they would complete the road within the next two years. Some 60 per cent of the works have so far been completed, he added.
Another government official said that after taking up the road building project in 2015, the RHD has revised the project design with some changes in the designs of the bridges, culverts, embankments, road, etc.
He said the feasibility study during taking up the project was actually faulty. According to the RHD, it has changed the design of a proposed Kohelia Bridge on the under-construction road as the preliminary design was faulty.
The department has also increased the cost for the consultancy services for the 8.47km road in its revised DPP.
The RHD has also sought Tk 2.3 million fund in extra as honorarium from its current allocation of Tk 0.7 million in the revised DPP.
Besides, it sought a fresh Tk 2.0 million fund for arranging ceremony/ festival in the revised DPP.
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