Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said the remaining work, including rail connectivity, would take at least 10 months. However, the Padma Bridge project manager Shafiqul Islam said: “There is no possibility of launching the Padma Bridge in 2021. We are six months behind We were supposed to be where we are today in June 2020, but we did it six months later. After finishing the work on time, we promised to open the Padma Bridge in June 2020 But that is no longer the case. There is more work to be done. “
He said it was not possible to say when the train would start. The railway line will be connected to the bridge. But the railroad will be necessary on both sides of the bridge.
Shafiqul Islam said: “We will be able to sit down with the contractors about the upcoming bridge work and inform them within a month when the Padma bridge will open to traffic.” The opening of bridges on both sides of the railway will not be blocked.
The remaining works on the main bridge include carriageway slabs, rail slabs and installation of super-beams. Slab pitch casting, lighting, lamppost installation, etc.
Trains will pass through the bottom of this concrete and steel bridge and vehicles will pass over it. As a result, the shape of the bridge will be 7 stories. In three years, two months and 10 days, 41 spans were installed in 41 piers of the Padma Bridge. And the cost of this project has tripled the initial cost The total budget for the bridge is now 30,193.39 crore The bridge is being built with Bangladesh’s own funds after the World Bank and development partners withdrew their loans claiming corruption. The bridge has so far cost Tk 24,115.02 crore The work has been completed, a little more than 72 percent
With the launch of the Padma Bridge, 21 districts in the southwest of the country will be directly connected to the rest of the country, including the capital Dhaka. 6 will come under rail communication More than four million people will benefit directly from it. And it will have a positive impact on the country’s economy. The World Bank said the bridge would increase GDP by two percent. But economist CPD said. Khandaker Golam Moazzem thinks: “It may not be due to the increased cost of the bridge. However, it will have a positive impact on the economy. Now that the southern region is in connectivity, an economic zone will be formed” Because there is gas and port facilities “He said. There has been a delay due to complications with the World Bank There was a problem with the governance of the river, Kovid is another problem It seemed to us that there was still an opportunity to make spending a little more reasonable But the sooner it opens, the better “.
He believes that the bridge will increase domestic and foreign investment Asian countries that want to use the port of Pigeon and Mongla can use it The bridge will connect the Asian highway and the trans-Asian railway network, which will play an important role in regional connectivity.
China Railway Major Bridge Engineering Company Limited (MBEC), a Chinese contractor, is working on the bridge. Sino Hydro Corporation 6, another Chinese company, has done the river governance work
Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Rector of Digital University Prof. Munaj Ahmed said: “Padma bridge is not complex design bridge Simple span trust bridge 6 Bangladesh engineers already have knowledge about it It is also taught here But their specialty is the enormity 6 We did not have technology What to bring 6 And as such a large project has been implemented with its own funds, the technology has been transferred It was not possible with foreign financing This is another great advantage beyond our bridge. In the future, our engineers will be able to build these bridges themselves. “
According to him, “the only challenge for the bridge was its foundation due to the fast flowing river and silt. The bridge will be used for hundreds of years.”
Take a look at the photo gallery from November 22 …
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Padma Bridge to understand the cost of waiting for decades
Where to start
In 1998-1999, the Awami League government carried out a feasibility study for the construction of the Padma Bridge. Later, in the 2008 election manifesto, the Awami League promised to build the Padma Bridge.
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Padma Bridge to understand the cost of waiting for decades
Collaborators guarantee
The World Bank has come forward to provide financial assistance for the construction of the Padma Bridge. In 2011, the company signed a $ 120 million agreement with the government of Bangladesh. The Japanese government also signed an agreement with JICA for কোটি 400 million, the Asian Development Bank for ৬ 840 million and the Islamic Development Bank for ১৪ 140 million.
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Padma Bridge to understand the cost of waiting for decades
Accusations of corruption, donors moved
The Canadian company SNC Lavalin is commissioned to build the Padma Bridge. But in a Canadian court, the organization withdrew funding from the project after allegations of corruption surfaced against the organization.
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Padma Bridge to understand the cost of waiting for decades
Fingers pointing to the Nobel Prize
When the World Bank withdrew from the Nobel Prize. Some members of the ruling Awami League pointed fingers at Yunus. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also hinted this: “One of our country’s Nobel laureates is involved in the Padma Bridge conspiracy.”
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Padma Bridge to understand the cost of waiting for decades
The Minister of Communications resigns
The government removed then-Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain from the ministry after allegations of corruption in the bridge work emerged. But he also resigned in the face of criticism
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Padma Bridge to understand the cost of waiting for decades
Corruption allegations are dismissed
After nearly five years of investigation, a Canadian court found no evidence of corruption. The court described the accusations as “speculative, gossip and hearsay.”
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Padma Bridge to understand the cost of waiting for decades
Self-financing announcement
The government has announced that the Padma Bridge will be built with its own funds if the World Bank and other donors withdraw from the project.
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Padma Bridge to understand the cost of waiting for decades
The work finally started
After a long hurdle, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina finally inaugurated the construction of the main structure of Padma Bridge on December 12, 2015. China Major Bridge Engineering Construction Company 7 is responsible for this work The work started with the plan to finish in 2018
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Padma Bridge to understand the cost of waiting for decades
Work was delayed
The first phase was planned to be completed in December 2015, but the project duration was extended to December 2017. The project duration was extended again due to various reasons, including river governance and the change in design. This time it is said that it will complete the work in June 2021. Meanwhile, due to Corona, the work slows down and the project is postponed again
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Padma Bridge to understand the cost of waiting for decades
Spending has increased by three hundred percent
More than a decade ago, during the then interim government in 2008, ECNEC approved the Padma Bridge construction project at a cost of Rs 10.172 million. In 2016, this expense stood at Tk 30,193 crore Spending increased by three hundred percent in an era
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Padma Bridge to understand the cost of waiting for decades
Increased in several stages
After approval of the project worth Rs 10,161.65 crore in 2008, it was modified in 2011 The revised cost of the project is estimated at Tk 20,507.20 crore In another amendment in 2016, the total expenditure stood at Tk 28,793.39 crore The last expense has been estimated at Tk 30,193 crore
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Padma Bridge to understand the cost of waiting for decades
Why are costs increasing?
One reason for the cost increase is to change the design, experts say. At the beginning of the project design errors were found In addition, new plans have been added at various times. Experts believe that the slowdown in river governance is one of the reasons for the increase in spending
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Padma Bridge to understand the cost of waiting for decades
When it comes to work
Work on some five kilometers of the 6.5 kilometer long bridge over the Padma has already been completed. A total of 36 of the 41 spans have been installed. Authorities expect the installation of the remaining sections to be completed next December.
Author: Rahat Rafi
