Don’t abandon troubled BRT project now: PM

The troubled BRT project is likely to see a ray of hope again as Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has instructed the authorities concerned not to declare the project abandoned right now.
In a meeting with experts of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) at the Cabinet Division on Sunday, the Prime Minister sought observations and separate reports from the experts.
According to sources, as the PM received three different views from the meeting, he decided to look into their views in separate reports.
Another source said the Prime Minister would take the issue to parliament.
Rail, Road Transport, Shipping Minister Road Transport and Bridges and Railway Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam, State Minister Habibur Rashid Habib and Roads and Highways Department Chief Engineer Syed Moinul Hasan were present. M Shamsul Hoque and Professor Mohammad Hadiuzzaman of the Civil Engineering Department and Professor of Urban Planning Musleh Uddin Hasan shared their views in the meeting.
Sources said Professor Shamsul Hoque, who led a report on the BRT project on recommendation from the government in April, suggested abandoning the project. But Professor Musleh Uddin Hasan was in favour of its continuation.
The Civil Engineering Department of BUET recommended abandoning the Tk 42.68- billion BRT project in a report, which was submitted to the government in April after evaluating separate reports of the government-formed two committees.
But, leaders at Planner Institute of Bangladesh in a press conference contradicted the report, claiming dismantling of the massive structure would require between Tk 10 billion and Tk 120 billion.
They claimed that the 20-kilometre corridor from Gazipur to Airport can be operable within a year by spending less due to its progress despite delay in implementation.
The BRT project was under implementation under Greater Dhaka Sustainable Urban Transport Project, but the decision to stop the project came during the interim government's tenure. The project taken in 2012 was closed without extending its tenure in December last, while presenting forth revision with the proposal of further hike of Tk 30-billion.

smunima@yahoo.com