RHD network maintenance most neglected
Tuesday, 12 April 2011
FE Report
The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) receives an allocation equivalent to only 17 per cent of the fund needed annually for regular maintenance and repair of the road network under its control. This was stated at a workshop organised in Dhaka Monday last. The RHD, on an average, is allocated a fund of around Tk 6.0 billion a year as against the requirement of Tk 34 billion for regular maintenance and repair of the roads and highways under its command. Participants at the workshop said creation of a 'road fund' and use of the public-private partnership (PPP) approach could be effective ways of meeting the resource gap for the country's road sector development. They regretted that the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) owning assets valued at about Tk 460 billion did not have enough fund for periodical maintenance and repair of its highways. The discussants, who included RHD officials, said the department's capacity to supervise and maintain national highways is limited as it faces skilled manpower shortage apart from fund crisis. They said the RHD has a missing generation due to retirement and ageing of a large part of its manpower. The situation has turned worse because of the suspension of recruitment between 1983-1997. The RHD, project consultant MMM Group and Asian Development Bank (ADB) jointly organised the workshop titled, 'Institutional Strengthening of RHD and Transport Efficiency' on the occasion of completion of a feasibility study to identify priority national highway four-lane projects. ADB consultant Alan Crone in his presentation said the cost of road transport rises in the absence of maintenance and preventive maintenance. He suggested corrective actions in handling of funding as the RHD had lacking in financial control. The discussants said if the road fund is created and the PPP fund is used in four-lane projects, the fund inadequacy can be removed to a great extent. RHD Chief Engineer M Shahabuddin chaired the workshop which was inaugurated by Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain. Road and Railway Secretary Mozzammel H Khan and Stefan Ekelund of ADB attended it as special guests.
The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) receives an allocation equivalent to only 17 per cent of the fund needed annually for regular maintenance and repair of the road network under its control. This was stated at a workshop organised in Dhaka Monday last. The RHD, on an average, is allocated a fund of around Tk 6.0 billion a year as against the requirement of Tk 34 billion for regular maintenance and repair of the roads and highways under its command. Participants at the workshop said creation of a 'road fund' and use of the public-private partnership (PPP) approach could be effective ways of meeting the resource gap for the country's road sector development. They regretted that the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) owning assets valued at about Tk 460 billion did not have enough fund for periodical maintenance and repair of its highways. The discussants, who included RHD officials, said the department's capacity to supervise and maintain national highways is limited as it faces skilled manpower shortage apart from fund crisis. They said the RHD has a missing generation due to retirement and ageing of a large part of its manpower. The situation has turned worse because of the suspension of recruitment between 1983-1997. The RHD, project consultant MMM Group and Asian Development Bank (ADB) jointly organised the workshop titled, 'Institutional Strengthening of RHD and Transport Efficiency' on the occasion of completion of a feasibility study to identify priority national highway four-lane projects. ADB consultant Alan Crone in his presentation said the cost of road transport rises in the absence of maintenance and preventive maintenance. He suggested corrective actions in handling of funding as the RHD had lacking in financial control. The discussants said if the road fund is created and the PPP fund is used in four-lane projects, the fund inadequacy can be removed to a great extent. RHD Chief Engineer M Shahabuddin chaired the workshop which was inaugurated by Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain. Road and Railway Secretary Mozzammel H Khan and Stefan Ekelund of ADB attended it as special guests.