JICA extends time to March for govt to meet its condition

Munima Sultana Japan has extended the loan negotiation time for US$ 2.75 billion metro rail project to March as the government could not fulfil the major requirements of eliciting endorsement for the changed route and the depot site from authorities concerned. The mission of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which visited the country last week, signed fresh minutes of discussion (MoD) with the Ministry of Communications (MoC) and the Economic Relations Division (ERD) on Thursday giving the time to meet these conditions. The loan negotiation which was earlier announced to be held in January was delayed as the government could not confirm the route during JICA's stipulated time. Officials said, in the fresh MoD the JICA fact-finding mission has extended the time to get a written endorsement on the metro rail route and the depot. It also recommended increase in manpower for the special project office by December and formation of the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority by passing the act in parliament by February. They, however, said the time extension has been given with a target to complete the loan signing before the end of the Japanese fiscal year. In the last MoD signed between the JICA, the ERD and the MoC in July last, the government was given time to get clearance from all related agencies including the Armed Forces to allow the project to run across their areas. The metro rail, known as Mass Rapid Transport line 6 (MRT line -6) which was proposed from Pallabi to Motijheel faced 'objection' from the Armed Forces on the issue of giving their clearance to the height and land use. The Air Force remained stuck to their position on diverting the route from Chandrima Uddyan to Farmgate through Jatiya Sangsad instead of Bijoy Sarani, while the Bangladesh Army asked the government to shift the depot location from Pallabi to Uttara on the land of Rajdhani Unnayan Kartipakhya. The officials said none of the authorities have still given their clearance on the changed route and depot location. Though the Prime Minister in her speech during a Parliament session endorsed the Air Force-proposed changed route, the officials said the Japanese soft loan lending agency did not accept it as a formal clearance. The complications over getting the depot land in Uttara could not be removed as the Rajuk has asked the implementing ministry to acquire land from the northern side of Uttara sparing its land. Since the JICA study confirmed the MRT line route from Pallabi to Motijheel feasible in July, JICA has assured of giving the project's 80 per cent fund during the current fiscal year at a 0.01 per cent interest rate. But the entire process to get the loan has been stuck up due to disagreements between government agencies, experts noted.