PADMA BRIDGE PROJECT
Army job gets Cabinet nod
The army will work as construction supervision consultant in three packages of the Padma bridge project with the assistance of experts from foreign countries and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet).
The cabinet committee on purchase Sunday approved a proposal in this regard at a meeting held at the Cabinet Division of Bangladesh Secretariat.
After the meeting, Muhith told reporters the army will supervise the local works including construction of approach roads but an international consultant would be appointed for the main bridge and river training.
A total of Tk 205.63 crore will be allocated for the supervision work, of which Tk 72.13 crore is to be set aside for engineering support and safety team. The army will hire experts from abroad to work as team leader, senior contract specialist and senior material engineer in the team that will carry out the supervision work and Tk 17.15 crore (equivalent of $2.14million) will be spent on these experts.
Besides, the army team will take help from experts of the Bureau of Research and Testing Consultancy of Buet.
Officials at the Bridges Division said Buet experts would be given fees from the total amount as per Buet policy.
The three packages to be overseen by the army are Janjira Approach Roads and Selected Bridge End Facilities, Mawa Approach Road and Selected Bridge End Facilities, and Service Area, according to the Bridges Division proposal.
However, an international firm will be appointed as supervision consultant for the construction of the main bridge and river training.
An official at the Bridges Division said a fresh tender had already been floated for appointing an international firm.
The appointment of contractors for the three packages is at the final stage now.
In February, the Bridges Division decided to give the supervision work of the three packages to the army. It made a power point presentation on the Padma bridge construction work to the army chief at the Bridges Division office in April. On the basis of the presentation, the army then submitted a detailed proposal to the Bridges Division.
After the World Bank cancelled its credit for the Padma bridge project on corruption allegations last year, the government decided to construct the bridge with own funds.
Of the total project cost of Tk 23,185 crore, Tk 6,852 crore has been allocated in the current fiscal budget.
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