Twenty-six projects under the Road Transport and Highways Division were scheduled to be completed by the 2024-25 financial year, but 20 of them are likely to miss the deadline; Many works were left unfinished as many were damaged by recent floods or inundations. There were no contractors.

At the Annual Development Program (ADP) implementation meeting held on October 20, project managers of 20 projects requested a deadline extension without increasing costs, although most projects had one or more revisions.

For example, the road widening project of Baraiyarhat-Heyako-Ramgarh is scheduled to be completed by December. The estimated cost of the project is Tk 1,226 billion, of which Tk 594 billion is financed by Indian loan.

However, as of last September, only 35 percent of the planned work on the road had been implemented. In light of student protests and the change in government, the project manager suggested extending the project’s timeline.

The 25th Fiscal Year budget includes 134 projects within the scope of the Road Transport and Highways Department. A total allocation of Tk 32,042 billion was allocated for these projects, representing 12% of the total ADP budget. Of this amount, 21.247 billion TL was allocated from the state treasury, 9.228 billion TL was allocated as project loans and 1.568 billion TL was allocated as a block grant. As of last September, 395 billion TL from state funds and 622 billion TL from project loans were spent, corresponding to 6.74% of the total allocation.

Commenting on the issue, Muhammad Fauzul Kabir Khan, Advisor to the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, told TBS over the phone on Monday: “The extension proposals will be reviewed on October 28. After that, it will be decided which projects will be approved. The timelines have been extended and this will not be extended.”

A senior official from the Road Transport and Highways Department, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that it has become very difficult to complete the projects on time.

Many ongoing projects were damaged by the floods, he said, adding that it was difficult to find contractors for new work.

“Tender invitations have been issued since the current government came to power, but in only one instance, up to six companies participated. In most of the tenders, only one or two companies participate. Moreover, there are not many contractors in the ongoing projects, which results in the absence of a large number of contractors in this financial year,” the official said. He stated that ADP was at a lower level than normal.

He said the Department of Roads and Highways has issued directives to field-level offices to prevent project changes and increased expenditure on development projects in line with the government’s cost reduction plan.

Projects with extension offers

It has been reported that there are 4 projects of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) in the current financial year budget. For these, a total allocation of Tk 6,606 billion has been determined, including Tk 2,783 billion from the government treasury and Tk 3,823 billion as project loans. DMTCL has suggested extending the timeline for each of these projects.

Extension proposals will be reviewed on October 28. From now on, it will be decided which projects will be extended and which will not be extended.

Muhammad Fauzul Kabir Khan, consultant, Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges

Similarly, Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority also suggested extending the timeline for its 5 projects. For the purchase of CNG-powered air conditioning buses for BRTC, the current fiscal year’s budget has allocated Tk 700 billion, including Tk 300 billion from the government treasury and Tk 400 billion as project loans.

The deadline for the project worth 1,133 crore has been fixed as December. However, BRTC suggested extending the period by one year. The project is funded by EDCF and as of last September, no expenditure has been made on the project.

Officials said that a proposal was made within the Department of Road Transport and Highways to extend the duration of the project titled “Replacement of Existing Bailey Bridges and RCC Bridges at Dilapidated, Narrow and Important Points” by one year. Concerned authorities have suggested extending the timeline of Greater Dhaka Sustainable Urban Transport Project (BRT Gazipur) by two years. Additionally, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) has already approved the two-year extension of the project to upgrade the Elenga-Hatikumrul-Rangpur highway to four lanes.

The West Bangladesh Bridge Improvement Project was scheduled to be completed this October. But this will not happen. The project manager suggested extending the period by at least one year with an increase in expenses.

The Road Transport and Highways Department’s part of the Matarbari coal-fired power plant construction project is scheduled to be completed by next June. However, the project will not be completed on time. An extension request was received from the project manager. The timeline for the project to upgrade major regional highways to appropriate standards and width (Rangpur district) will also be extended. This project has already been revised twice.

The project to upgrade the Ashuganj River Port-Sarail-Dhorkhar-Akhura dry port highway into a four-lane national highway is scheduled to be completed next June. A proposal was also made to extend the duration of the project.

The timeline of the Emergency Assistance Project for the development of Cox’s Bazar-Teknaf Road (N-1) will also be extended. Asian Development Bank provided a loan to the project, but the full loan amount cannot be used.

A proposal has been made to extend the timeline of the Sylhet-Tamabil four-lane upgrade project, which includes a separate SMVT lane, by three years. The project was planned to be completed next June.

The Pan Gucci Bridge construction project was planned to be completed by next June, but it was reported that this will not happen. Dhaka City Bus Route Nationalization Project has proposed a two-year extension. Moreover, the project manager suggested extending the timelines of Narayanganj and Gazipur Transport Master Plan projects.

During the meetings with the officials of the Department of Road Transport and Highways and the Department of Highways and Highways, it was revealed that the government, considering the financial situation, decided not to implement major projects using its own financing.

However, the government aims to continue projects involving external grants and loans, for which the necessary state funding will be provided. In this context, land acquisition will be carried out only to the extent necessary.

There is a policy decision not to build new roads, bridges or culverts. The Department of Road Transport and Highways has adopted the strategy of extending project durations without increasing costs to ensure proper maintenance of existing roads, prevent unnecessary expansions and reduce annual expenses.