Dhaka-Mawa expressway: Quader seeks double the allocated funds

FT ONLINE

More than double this year's allocated funds have been sought for a single project in the middle of this fiscal to open the country's first expressway on Mujib Year.

Road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader wrote to Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal for Tk 21.98 billion in addition to Tk 9.0-billion allocation in the revised annual development programme.

Last month, Planning Commission (PC) rejected the plea of the Roads and Highways Department (RHD), the implementer of the Tk 41.11-billion project on deposition to Bangladesh Army, for the same.

The PC, however, asked the RHD to meet the demand from its total budgetary allocation of Tk 251.63 billion from other projects, sources said.

"It is not possible for the RHD to adjust such a big amount from other project allocations as it would totally stop zonal development work," said an official.

The fresh amount sought is equivalent to the total allocation for development work in at least three zonal offices, the official spelled out.

In a demi-official letter dated November 11, Mr. Quader said the total allotment was for 164 ongoing projects, including 16 mega projects, 20 nationally significant projects and 52 on target for completion.

Of the block allocation, Tk 2.36 billion has already been allotted for 20 mega projects and the rest Tk 624.2 million would be needed for upcoming new projects, he stated.

Mr. Quader said the 'Completion of incomplete work to upgrade Jatrabari to Mawa and Pancchor-Bhanga road through Ekuria-Babubazar link road under Dhaka-Khulna (N-8) highway into four lanes' is the PM's commitment project.

"As the ministry cannot provide additional funds for lack of sufficient funds in the block allocation," he said in the letter, seeking Tk 30.98 billion in the RADP to complete the road by March 2020 to celebrate Bangabandhu's 100th birth anniversary.

He said the project is supposed to be completed by next June and it spent Tk 10.12 billion until June 2019.

In the current FY 2019-20, Tk 9.0 billion was allotted.

According to the Development Project Proposal, the original Dhaka-Mawa four-lane project work kicked off in 2016 on target to finish it by June 2020.

Initially, the project was taken to convert the two-lane Dhaka-Mawa road into four lanes to support increased traffic after the Padma Bridge is opened.

But it was later upgraded into an expressway project to ensure uninterrupted traffic movement that hiked up the project cost to Tk 103.64 billion.

The cost of the main four-lane work was Tk 62.52 billion.

Furthermore, Tk 41.11 billion was earmarked for another project under the name 'Completion of incomplete work to upgrade Jatrabari to Mawa and Pancchor-Bhanga road through Ekuria-Babubazar link road under Dhaka-Khulna (N-8) highway into four lanes'.

The 55-kilometre expressway is expected to reduce travel time between Dhaka and Faridpur by several hours, improving Dhaka's connectivity with southern districts.

Under the project, 31.7 kilometres (kms) from Jatrabari to Mawa, 3.0kms from Babubazar to Ekuria and 20kms from Panchhor to Bhanga will be upgraded with different facilities.

According to the DPP, it will have a five-metre central reservation, two service roads for slow-moving vehicles, three large bridges over Dhaleshari and Arial Kha rivers along with 28 culverts and bridges.

Besides, six flyovers and four railroad overpasses are also being built at different points in order to ensure uninterrupted vehicular movement on the highway.