Minister for Communications Obaidul Quader on Wednesday said the tender for construction of main bridge of Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project at Mawa-Janjira point at a cost of Tk 9,172 crore will be floated on June 30 this year. He said this at a signing ceremony of giving work order to a construction firm to construct the approach road at Janjira point of the 6.15km long bridge.
The Communication Minister said Tk 6,852 crore was allocated in the forthcoming budget for 2013-2014 fiscal, which will be placed in Parliament on Thursday.
The Finance Minister will elaborately discuss the issue while placing the new national budget.
The total project cost was estimated at Tk 20,507 crore.
Earlier, an agreement to construct the approach road was signed between Bangladesh Bridge Authority and Abdul Monem Limited, the local agent of Malaysian Company-HCM, JV in the presence of the Communication Minister.
Project Director of Bangladesh Bridge Authority Mohammad Shafiqul Islam and Authorised Representative of Abdul Monem Limited and HCM, JV Abid Habib signed the agreement on behalf of their respective sides.
According to the agreement, the Abdul Monem Limited and HCM, JV will jointly construct 10.579-km approach road (4-lane), 12-km service road, 3-km local road, five bridges of five to nine spans, 18 box culverts, eight under passes, tool place and service area at a cost of Tk 10,973.98 crore.
Country’s leading construction firm Abdul Monem Limited and Malaysian Company HCM, JV will jointly complete the approach road works within 36 months.
The much-awaited Padma bridge will be constructed at Mawa-Janjira point about 40km south from the capital. It will play a significant role to create road and rail communication with 19 south and south-western districts of the country including Munshiganj, Shariatpur, Madaripur, Barisal, Patuakhali and Faridpur.
After completion of the bridge, it will be a part of the proposed Asian Highway (AH-!). The ongoing works of the PMB include construction of 2,169-km river bank protection embankment to protect the construction yard at Janjira point at a cost of Tk 95,98 crore, tender for Mawa Appraoch Road and Service area-2 were floated and extention of Procurement Consultant, Maunsell/ AECOM work was given.
Besides, about 95 per cent land acquisition work has already been completed.
-With The Independent input
