Ministry asked to study feasibility
The cabinet purchase committee yesterday directed the communications ministry to conduct a feasibility study for an underground railway in the capital to ease traffic congestion.
The directive came at a meeting of the committee at the Cabinet Division, with Finance Minister AMA Muhith in the chair.
The meeting approved appointment of two consultants for the Dhaka-Chittagong Expressway and Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit projects.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB), Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) and China have expressed interest in financing the Dhaka-Chittagong Expressway and the underground railway in the capital, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal told a press conference at the auditorium of the National Economic Council. Most ministers in the meeting favoured having the Dhaka-Chittagong Expressway elevated on the existing four-lane road. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will make the final decision in this regard, added Kamal.
After conducting the feasibility study, the government will pick the strategic partner for construction of the underground railway, he mentioned.
The purchase committee also approved Snowy Mountains Engineering Corporation International of Australia, Oriental Consultants of Japan, Associated Consulting Engineers Consultants Ltd of Bangladesh, and Castalia Ltd of New Zealand as consultants for a feasibility study on the expressway project. The government will pay the consultants around Tk 84 crore for the service.
The consultants will make a detailed design of the project and estimate the cost of the scheme.
The purchase body endorsed the appointment of a consultant to enhance the institutional capacity of the Dhaka Mass Transit Co Ltd. A joint venture company led by the Japan-based Oriental Consultancy Co has landed the job at a cost of around Tk 27 crore.
The Dhaka Mass Transit Co Ltd has been implementing the metro rail project.
The meeting okayed Tk 152 crore erosion prevention work in the 1.3-kilometre area of the Padma at the Padma bridge project site. The army will do the job with funds from the Padma bridge project.
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