The authorities concerned are hopeful that the pace of mega projects construction works will get momentum following the relaxed restriction of Covid-19.
Due to the closure of communication systems, various construction equipment and others bringing from home and abroad have been delayed which somehow affects the ongoing project construction work.
The pace of work has slowed down due to a shortage of manpower and problems in the transportation of goods, project officials said. If the pandemic situation is not brought under control, they think that the time and cost of project implementation will increase.
Over the last few years, several large communication infrastructures have been developed in the country. But due to the obstruction of Covid-19, the work of these projects is not progressing properly.
The Padma Bridge is the largest project being implemented in the country with its own funds. A railway connection has also been added to it. After overcoming various complications, the construction work has gained momentum, the global pandemic has become an obstacle.
The probable date of its inauguration has been delayed more than once due to various reasons including lack of necessary manpower and raw material supply crisis amid pandemic.
However, now the officials concerned are hopeful that the pace of construction work will increase as the government lifted the restrictions.
Padma Multipurpose Bridge Executive Engineer Dewan Md Abdul Kader told Bangladesh Post that, ‘Despite the pandemic stagnated situation, the Padma Bridge construction work continues maintaining health safety rules. We have to face many obstacles but overcoming gradually”.
Construction of the country’s first elevated expressway has also been slow due to pandemic obstruction. However, the people involved in the project are now working day and night to cover it. As the project implementation company ITD bears the construction cost, the Thai company will bear them if the time and cost increase.
Elevated expressway project director AHMM Akter said, “As the land allocation and other obstacles related to project construction has been complete; now the work is continuing maintaining health safety rules. It is expected that vehicles would start moving over the expressway from Airport to Tejgaon by April next year.”
The Karnafuli Tunnel is being constructed under the Karnafuli River at a cost of around Tk 10,000 crore. The pace of work on this project has slowed down due to coronavirus.
The construction work of the Bangabandhu Tunnel is 71 percent ahead of the target so far. It is expected that the project will be completed within the specified time if the import of construction materials is facilitated through foreign labor complex and port.
Multi-lane Karnafuli tunnel project director Harunur Rashid Chowdhury said "We are far ahead of estimated in construction so far. However, due to the deteriorating situation in Corona and the complexity of procurement of construction materials through the port, there are some doubts about the completion of the work by 2022."
Meanwhile, the worse condition is in the 20.5 km long bus rapid transit project from the airport to Gazipur. Although the duration of this project is from 2012 to 2018, its time and cost have increased in several steps. Although all the work is scheduled to be completed by 2022, the present situation of the project shows less possibility to be completed within the schedule.
Shafiqul Islam, managing director of Dhaka Bus Rapid Transit Company Limited (DBRTCL) acknowledging the project had been mired in many problems said, “There were many problems which have been solving gradually. We are seeing the light of hope as upgrading four lands from Cherag Ali to Chowrasta has already been complete”.
