2 Railway projects: Consultants come 4 months before deadlines end
Bangladesh Railway yesterday signed two separate contracts with consultants for two expansion projects, just four months before the project deadlines end.
As per the contracts, a joint-venture of companies will carry out the feasibility studies, detail designs, and prepare tender documents within 11 months.
It means the projects' preparation work will end six months after the original deadlines in December this year.
The consultants would then provide construction supervision services for four years, including a one-year defect liability period, indicating that the deadlines will be extended for over four years.
The development in the two projects -- conversion of meter gauge line to dual gauge from Parbatipur to Kaunia and the construction of a double line from Khulna to Darshana -- came at a time when most of BR's 36 ongoing projects are behind schedule.
The two projects worth Tk 5,187 crore were taken up in early 2018 to boost internal and inter-country rail communications. They were to be implemented with Indian lines of credit (LoC).
The BR is currently implementing seven projects with Indian LoCs and grants and all of them are behind schedule.
BR Director General Dhirendra Nath Mazumder said it was not possible to give details and exact reasons behind the delay but long procedures to get approval from the Indian side was one.
"We are sorry for the delay but the main thing is the contracts have been signed, meaning the physical work of the projects will start now," he told The Daily Star last night.
Meanwhile, project authorities have already placed two proposals for extending the deadlines for one year. The proposals are now pending with the planning Commission, BR sources said.
"One-year long time extensions were sought to complete feasibility studies and detailed designs. The costs of both projects will then be revised as they are likely to go up due to the delay in starting physical works. Deadlines will also have to be extended," a top BR official, wishing anonymity, told this correspondent.
The government in May 2018 approved one of the projects to build a parallel line along the Khulna-Darshana line at a cost of Tk 3,506.75 crore. India will provide 77 percent of the cost as a loan.
The project aims to increase transportability via Dhaka-Khulna and Khulna-Chilahati. The existing Khulna-Darshana section of the Dhaka-Khulna line is a single broad-gauge line.
Under the project, the section will be made into double line by installing a 126.25km broad gauge track with a 14.40km of loop line, shows project documents.
The project authorities, in mid-2018, issued an expression of interest in appointing a consultant.
However, they cancelled it in August that year, as only one organisation was shortlisted, according to project documents.
The second attempt was also cancelled as Indian EXIM Bank did not approve it.
Yesterday, the BR, in its third attempt, signed a contract with joint-venture firm STUP Consultants Pvt Ltd-AARVEE Associates Architects Engineers and Consultants from India and Development Design Consultants Ltd of Bangladesh.
As per the contract, the company will get Tk 87.37 crore for their 59 months of consultation.
The government, in February 2018, approved the other project to turn about 67km of meter-gauge lines from Parbatipur to Kaunia into dual-gauge at a cost of Tk 1,683 crore.
The purpose of the project was to improve the inter-country rail network with India, Nepal, and Bhutan and increase trade. India is supposed to finance 81 percent of the costs.
For this project, the authorities took three and a half years to select consultants.
Yesterday, the BR hired the same three companies at a cost of Tk 75.84 crore.
However, AARVEE will lead the joint venture in this project.
At the signing ceremony, Railways Minister Nurul Islam Sujan said the country's rail network is divided into two gauges with metre gauge dominating the east zone and broad gauge dominating the west.
But the railways authorities are converting all metre gauge lines into broad gauge gradually, he said, adding that India has already done so.
About the Parbatipur-Kaunia project, the minister said once the project is completed, it would improve connectivity not only with India but also with Bhutan and Nepal, further enhancing transportation of passengers and goods.
Humayun Kabir, secretary of the railways ministry, representatives from Indian High Commission in Dhaka and Indian Exim Bank, among others, were present at the programme.
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