Two committees assigned to keep a close watch on the Padma Multipurpose Bridge construction got busy taking extra-cautionary measures as the field-level work has already begun.
At its first meeting Saturday the implementation committee asked the officials to hold regular meetings with the contractors and "address challenges on a priority basis".
Sources said a member of the committee also asked the project office to keep a vigilant eye on the contractor doing the river-training work in view of their performance in implementing the Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane highway project.
Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) completed the tender process on five different jobs for the 6.15-kilometre two-tier Padma bridge last year. The final river-training work was awarded to the Sinohydro of China, amid a controversy over their work on the country's main economic corridor.
On the other hand, the main bridge-construction work has been awarded to the China Major Bridge Company whose role in implementing the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway-widening project also drew criticism, as the company's had long been absent from the project site despite being the lead partner.
Three other jobs to construct two approach roads on both sides of the bridge and a service area were awarded to the local firm Abdul Momen.
The BBA has also appointed two construction-supervision consultants (CSCs) for supervising the five areas of expensive work for building the bridge that would connect the country's southwestern part with the capital.
A Korean consortium led by Pyunghwa Engineering Consultants Ltd is responsible to work as CSC for the main bridge and river-training work and the Bangladesh Army for the remaining three jobs.
"The steering committee on the project on January 12 also asked the project office to be alert about transfer of technology to the country in implementing the project," one of the sources said.
As per the development project proposal (DPP), the implementation committee was constituted with the members of the Planning Commission and the Implementation Monitoring Evaluation Division (IMED) along with BBA officials to review different kinds of the field work.
The implementation committee in its first meeting held with Director of Planning Commission Alim Uddin Ahmed in the chair also decided to meet every month and, if necessary, hold more meetings to resolve day-to-day problems with the highly technical work of bridge construction across a mighty river.
The steering committee meeting, chaired by the Bridge Division Secretary on January 13 also recommended conducting health centres and schools by engaging non-governmental organisations in all rehabilitation areas.
Sources said the BBA held the two meetings of the implementation and steering committees "on pressure from the Planning Commission and the IMED".
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