DHAKA, Jan 20, 2019 (BSS) – Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader today said the construction of the 6.15-kilometre Padma Bridge is progressing fast as 63 percent overall work of the project has been completed.
“The overall progress of Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project has reached 63 percent now while 73 percent work of the main bridge has been done so far,” he told reporters after a meeting with officials of Bridge Division and Bridge Authority in the Setu Bhaban auditorium here.
He said one more span of the bridge will be installed at the Zajira point in the last week of current month, while six spans out of total 41 have already been set up making 900 meter of the bridge visible.
Besides, 17 spans are kept ready to be installed and work on 18 others is underway, he said.
Quader said work of 191 piles out of total 261 has been done and partial work of 15 more has been completed while work of 16 piers among total 42 has been done and work of 15 others is underway.
About other mega projects of the government, the minister said the digging work of the Karnaphuli river tunnel will be inaugurated formally through Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM) in the mid February next.
He said the 3.4-kilometer four-lane underwater Karnaphuli river tunnel will be constructed at a cost of Taka 9880.40 crore.
Quader expressed his optimism that the construction of the Karnaphuli tunnel project will end in 2022 as the project progress was 30 percent till December 31, 2018.
He said the government has a plan to build another tunnel under the river Jamuna and a project evaluation committee (PEC) meeting has been called on January 24.
About the Dhaka Elevated Expressway PPP Project, he said 1289 piles, 270 pile caps, 56 cross beams have been set up while work of 157 columns has been completed and partial work of 82 others was done and construction of 168 i-girder was completed.
Italian-Thai Development Public Company Limited (ITD) is implementing the project having a total of 46.73 kilometer length and 19.73 km main line.
The expressway will stretch from Shahjalal International Ariport through Kuril, Banani, Mahakhali-Tejgaon, Moghbazar, Kamalapur, Sayedabad and Jatrabari and will merge with Dhaka-Chittagong highway at Kutubkhali.
Quader described the proper implementation of mega projects as a big challenge and warned of taking actions if any negligence is found to implement the projects.
“We have major challenges ahead to implement the mega projects. No negligence will be tolerated to this end,” he told the meeting at the Setu Bhaban.
Quader, also Awami League General Secretary, said as per the party’s electoral manifesto, they would not tolerate any corruption.
“Zero tolerance will be shown against corruption,” he said.
He said their responsibility has increased manifold with the massive victory of Awami League in the December 30 national election.
“Our landslide victory enhances challenges to discharge our duties in a proper manner. We will have to work with a team spirit to implement our electoral manifesto,” he said.
The minister urged the officials and employees of the ministry to work maintaining transparency.
“You will have to work with utmost sincerity to keep intact the goodwill the government has attained for its honesty and sincerity,” he said.
Bridges Division Senior Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam and Project Director of Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project Md Shafiqul Islam attended the meeting.