The Bangladesh Railway (BR) is set to place a 34.70-percent lower demand in the revised FY26 annual development programme (RADP) to implement 32 projects as it is unable to complete some schemes on schedule.
It says Tk 49.24 billion will be required in the next six months against Tk 75.41 billion allotted in the ADP.
Of the total, the government's share is likely to be reduced from Tk 40.14 billion to Tk 23.76 billion, and project aid from Tk 35.27 billion to Tk 25.47 billion.
Officials say despite the cut in demand, some projects may need higher allocations as they have made good progress in physical works.
They also say some projects included in the ADP without any allocations are likely to get allocations due to the demand created so far.
Sources say the Dhirasram ICD project will see a significant cut in demand, with the railway set to seek only Tk 5.51 billion against the allotted Tk 15.11 billion.
For the project involving the Chattogram-Dohazari line's conversion into dual gauge, Bangladesh Railway will demand only Tk 48.6 million against the allocation of Tk 2.40 billion.
Besides, the demand for Dhaka-Narayanganj dual-gauge track development in parallel to the existing metre-gauge line is likely to drop to Tk 456 million from Tk 1.14 billion.
Other significant demand cuts include the projects of Sylhet-Chattak metre-gauge section rehabilitation, replacement and modernisation of signalling and interlocking system on the Ishurdi-Parbatipur section, and 200 broad-gauge passenger carriage procurements.
Problems in the first two projects are related to land acquisition due to legal complications and non-cooperation of government agencies, sources say.
With the reduced demand, the railway now plans to implement 25 investment projects with a revised allocation of Tk 47.41 billion, and seven technical ones with Tk 1.82 billion, by FY26.
Some 11 projects will be placed with reduced demand, seven with higher demand, and three with fresh demand.
The rest of the allocations will remain the same.
smunima@yahoo.com