The government is going to extend the tenure of the Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane highway project for the fourth time as only 65 per cent work was completed in last eight years, officials said. With less than two months remaining of the current deadline the implementing agency, the Roads and Highway Department, has sought one-year extension of the country’s number-one highway project. Officials said that extension of time to complete the Dhaka-Chittagong highway project almost equaled the extension given to the relocation project of the city’s hazardous tanneries from Hazaribug to Savar. They observed that repeated extensions were contrary to the national interest and should be addressed strongly. The cost of the four-lane highway project has already escalated to Tk 3,190 crore from Tk 2,382 crore. Asma Sultana, assistant project director of the project, said extension had already been sought from the planning commission through the road transport and bridges division of the ministry of communications. She said they sought extension for one-year without increasing the cost of the project. Officials said the RHD’s plea was under active consideration of the ministry. They said the project was taken in 2006 for speedy movement of goods and passengers. Additional two lanes would be added to the two-lane highway to get rid of congestions that pushed up the cost of exports and imports. The Dhaka-Chittagong Highway caters to over 80 per cent of the country’s exports and imports worth US$ 55 billion. It took years to appoint contractors including Sinohydro Corporation of China. Construction works of the highway upgrading project finally began in January 2010 that was scheduled to be completed in 2012. The RHD missed second deadline in December 2013. The tenure of the project was extended until December this year. The repeated extension of deadlines raised questions about the government’s seriousness about completing the vital highway expansion project. Performance of the Chinese company has also been called to questions. Communications minister Obaidul Quader had blamed Sinohydro for not following the contract terms. Sinohydro allegedly slowed down implementation of the project. Sinohydro commercial manager He Fengshuo blamed the delays to several factors beyond the control of the construction firm. He blamed the local authorities for causing delays in taking possession of project site, advance payments and insufficiency of construction drawing. He observed that delays in contractor’s reimbursements could further delay the project’s implementation.
Source: Newage