The Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) has sought Tk 72 billion for the Padma Multipurpose Bridge project for the next fiscal year (FY), 2015-16, though it could not spend almost half of the current fiscal year's allocation.
The government, during the last two fiscal years, earmarked the highest allocation for the US $3.0 billion Padma Bridge Project giving it top most priority. But in both the cases, the sanctioned money remained unutilised at the end of the respective fiscal years.
According to sources, in the budget for the current fiscal year, the BBA was given Tk 81 billion considering the need to mobilise and start the field level work of the country's longest bridge. But the authority concerned could spend only Tk 45 billion in the current fiscal year, the sources added.
Officials said the demand for the next FY 2015-16 has been placed as per the plan set earlier for next three fiscal years when the government took the decision in 2013 to implement the project. They said as per the plan, the BBA is likely to raise demand to Tk 60 billion for the project in the FY 2016-17.
During the FY 2013-14, the BBA placed the demand for Tk 10 billion on account of paying money for land acquisition. But it could spend only Tk 1.0 billion for the purpose of land acquisition.
During the FY 2013-14, the BBA could award the two approach road construction work. In the current fiscal year, it, however, completed the procurement process by awarding all the five component works including 6.15 km main bridge construction work, river training work, and construction supervision consultancy.
Despite these, the BBA could not spend the total budget allotted for the project due to delay in starting the field level work.
The allotment of Tk 81 billion was the highest among the government's budget for a single project.
Meanwhile, the BBA has drafted the revised development project proposal to update the project's expenditure as lots of changes have taken place there since the second revision of the DPP done in 2011.
As per the revision, the project cost is Tk 286.51 billion of which government's part will be Tk 268.14 billion. The rest Tk 18.37 billion will come as project assistance from the Indian line of credit (LoC).
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