BIWTA moots Tk 28.5m for one km walkway!

The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has proposed a staggering Tk 28.5 million for building per-kilometre walkway along rivers around Dhaka city.

According to insiders, the BIWTA has also sought Tk 27 million for per-kilometre bicycle lane beside the walkways.

Even it has sought 122-percent higher cost for implementing the 'Installation of pillars, protection of river banks and construction of walkways, jetties and relevant infrastructure along the Buriganga, the Shitalakhya and the Balu rivers project'.

The state entity's proposal of higher cost came afresh after its failure to execute the project in two years.

The government approved the project at Tk 8.48 billion in 2018, but the BIWTA failed to start physical work satisfactorily.

It recently sought a revision with massive overhauling in the project design, seeking 122.28 percent higher cost to Tk 18.86 billion.

The project was due for completion by June 2021, but it has sought a one-year extension to June 2022.

Shipping ministry has recently sought the revision of the BIWATA's project from the Planning Commission.

Project insiders said some mismatch and inflated costs are detected in the revised development project proposal (DPP) along with some unnecessary components.

A senior ministry official said the BIWTA had brought a lot of changes in the project work that forced them to recommend for approval.

"Since we need to save the rivers around Dhaka city and make them attractive for visitors, a massive revision has been allowed…," he said seeking anonymity.

Insiders said the BIWTA estimated Tk 1.01 billion for building 35km walkways beside Buriganga, Shitalakkhya and Balu and Tk 135 million for building only 5.0km cycle lane which seemed overestimated.

Besides, the water transport authorities have estimated Tk 212.1 million for constructing 35km drains beside the walkways which also looked inflated.

This means the BIWTA would spend Tk 6.0 million for building per kilometre drain.

In the original DPP, the BIWTA estimated Tk 44,000 for each km of river bank protection work, but it has proposed to Tk 64,000 in the revised DPP.

It also raised the cost to Tk 0.114 million in the revised DPP from the earlier estimate of Tk 91,000 for per km walkway on the column on the riverbed.

The BIWTA has sought Tk 440 million for constructing 80 stairs in the rivers in the revised DPP.

But two years ago it estimated a total of Tk 311.8 million for building 100 stairs.

The authorities have brought changes in the earth filling and excavation work in the river areas, bringing a massive overhauling in its project design.

In the original DPP, the BIWTA proposed 0.5 million for per cubic metre (cm) of earthwork which now swelled to 1.82 million/cm in the revised DPP.

Similarly, it has brought a radical change in the DPP which ultimately expanded the total cost by 122 percent from the original estimation, the insiders said.

They said the BIWTA has kept aside Tk 10 million for purchasing four speedboats, Tk 9.0 million for a luxury car and Tk 13.6 million for office rent.

Even Tk 1.6 million has been put aside for honorarium, Tk 3.1 million for car rent, Tk 9.7 million for training, Tk 1.5 million for travel allowance and Tk 5.0 million for festivals.

BIWTA chairman was not available for comment.