RHD seeks Airport-Gazipur BRT project revision

The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) has sought revision of the Airport-Gazipur Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project demanding higher funds from internal sources, officials said Thursday.
The state-owned road developer has sought revision of the Tk 20.41 billion BRT project seeking 12 per cent higher funds from the government's own exchequer.
It has, however, cut demand for fund by 3.0 per cent from the Tk 16.51 billion project aid. Earlier, the project aid was confirmed by the Asian Development Bank, the French donor agency AFD and the Global Environmental Facilities (GEF) fund for constructing the dedicated 20-kilometre bus line.
According to the original Development Project Proposal (DPP), the RHD has obtained a total Tk 20.41 billion fund -- Tk 16.51 billion from external sources as project aid and Tk 3.89 billion from the government's internal sources -- for setting up the dedicated bus line.
"Since some components of the current DPP have been changed, we have sought revision of the project from the Planning Commission (PC)," said a Road Transport and Bridges Ministry official.
"The RHD has not sought extra funds and time for implementing it. It has just adjusted the fund allocations among different components. We hope the road construction work will start soon after revising the project," he told the FE.
A PC official said the RHD had sent the DPP to them seeking revision without completion of the detailed design of the ongoing project.
"By June, the detailed design of the BRT will be completed. Then the revision of the project can be more appropriate. We will ask the RHD to revise the project following the detailed design of the BRT line before approval," he told the FE.
The RHD will construct the 20-kilometre dedicated bus service line from Airport-Gazipur route in a bid to ensure smooth transportation between the capital city and Gazipur.
With the financial support of the ADB, the RHD completed feasibility study in 2011. Following the study, the RHD undertook the project.
According to the preliminary design of the Airport-Gazipur BRT project, two-lanes (1+1) from Gazipur-Tongi (Cherag Ali Market) road and four lanes (2+2) from Tongi-Airport railway station will be kept dedicated for the BRT line.
The key purpose of the government to construct the BRT line from Airport to Gazipur is to ensure smooth communication of Gazipur city with the capital Dhaka.
The government has also a plan to construct three other BRT lines. Among those, the BRT-1 will be constructed from Uttara-Pragati Swarani-Kamlapur-Sayedabad, BRT-2 from Gabtoli-Mirpur-Dhanmondi-Sayadabad and the BRT-3 from Airport-Mohakhali-Sayedabad-Sadarghat.
The proposed Airport-Gazipur line will be constructed as an extension of the BRT-3.     kabirhumayan10@gmail.com