Tk 6b spent beyond approved cost

The government has spent at least Tk 6.00 billion beyond the approved cost of Padma Bridge project due to delay in starting the construction of the country's longest bridge.
Experts apprehend the spending will go up further for additional plan to be taken beyond the development project proposal (DPP).
Sources said the Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) has to spend more than Tk 4.5 billion to protect the river bank on the bridge's both sides, carry out extension work of river training, get consultancy support of international experts, among other works.
Besides, the BBA, executing agency of the US 2.9 billion project, may have to bear nearly Tk 3.0 billion outside the project cost to acquire additional land and construct roads for the Mawa ghat.
"The additional amount was spent for carrying out the work beyond the DPP and TPP," said an official preferring not to be named. He said due to the delay in starting the construction of the bridge, these works have been necessary so that the bridge site remains the same.

According to the BBA, Tk 1.9 billion has been spent to protect the construction yard at Jajira side which was threatened in 2012 due to the river erosion.
Beyond the DPP, the authority has also to take steps to protect the old Mawa ghat and shift it to a new location for which the estimated cost is around Tk 2.00 billion, sources added.
The Water Development Board will carry out the ghat and river protection work beyond the Mawa site with the Project's fund. Besides, a road will be constructed to connect it with the new ghat from the project fund. The Mawa ferry ghat is threatened due to river erosion and it is being shifted to Shimulia on temporary basis.
Though the BBA has not yet taken decision on acquiring 700 acres of land for the Bangladesh Army to set up cantonment on both sides of the bridge from the project it is decided to acquire the two construction yards for the cantonment, sources said.
The BBA set up the construction yards on 494 areas of land on requisition which was, as per the DPP, was to be returned to the owners after the completion of the construction.
The project has to bear additional Tk 2.40 billion to take support of the foreign consultant Maunsell AECOM for completing the bidding process of the five different construction works of the Padma Bridge.
Contract of the New Zealand-based firm expired in October 2011 before the selection of the firms which were to carry out construction, river training, two approach road development and service area development works.
The government appointed the firm at the end of 2013 when the project's bidding process was revived after the government steps to carry out the whole project work from its own fund.
Contract of the consulting firm may also be extended from the revised time till June as the BBA is yet to complete the tender process of the construction and river training work by that time.
When asked about increase in the project cost for carrying out all these additional work, Project Director M Shafiqul Islam, however, said so far all the expenses were met from the contingency fund of the project.
He, however, refrained from making comments on possible hike of the cost of different works which were to be awarded after three to four years of delay.