Bangladesh
Padma Bridge Duration of the Padma Bridge project extended by two years
Dhaka, March 22: The Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Department (IMED) of the Ministry of Planning is going to approve the 'Padma Multipurpose Bridge Construction (Second Amendment)' project by extending the period by two years till June 2023 as per the demand of the Bridges Department, according to relevant sources.
The duration of the Padma Bridge construction project has already been extended four times. This time the duration of this project is going to be extended for the fifth time. However, this time the cost is not increasing even if the term is extended.
According to the source, the project will be completed for the completion of the remaining works including the main bridge and river management works till June 30, 2022 and 1 more year to settle the maintenance work and contractors' debts as per the terms of the tender. The IMD has said that it can be fixed till June this year.
The IMD has recommended that a time-bound action plan be formulated and implementation follow-up meetings be assessed through regular follow-up meetings in order to complete the various constituent works within the stipulated time frame. Emphasis can be placed on job placement to ensure that trained persons can become self-reliant through employment, including ensuring proper implementation of income generating programs under rehabilitation activities. The current activities of technical management and safety management of the project should be continued. In the light of these issues, the information of the measures taken should be informed to IMED within the next one month.
Work on the Padma Bridge project began in July 2007. It was supposed to end in June 2015. With the first amendment, the project was extended till December 2015. In the second amendment, the duration of the project was extended for another 3 years till December 2018.
Then the term of Padma Bridge has been extended twice without increasing the cost. It was extended for the first time till December 2019. The second time was done, until June 2021. This time, apart from the cost increase, the duration of the project is being extended for another two years till June 2023, which is in the final stage.
The cost of the Padma Bridge project has also increased three times. The main cost of the project was 10 lakh 16 thousand 175 crore 30 lakh taka. In the first amendment, the expenditure was doubled to 20 lakh 50 thousand 720 crore 16 lakh taka. And for the third time the term was extended to 30 lakh 19 thousand 338 crore 76 lakh taka.
