The opening of Padma multipurpose bridge is likely to be delayed further as two more years has been sought to complete its construction, insiders said on Wednesday.
The bridges division recently sought extension of time up to June 2023 from the Planning Commission (PC) without extending the project cost of Tk 301.93 billion, they disclosed.
"We've got a time-extension proposal from the bridges division early this week. We'll scrutinise the proposal before approval," said a senior PC official.
The project was scheduled for completion in June 2021.
Meanwhile, transport minister Obaidul Quader said Padma bridge would be opened to traffic by June 2022.
According to the development project proposal (DPP), work on the project began in January 2007 at Tk 101.61 billion after a feasibility study done in 2004.
When the World Bank and three other donors withdrew from their promised funds for building the project, the government revised it in 2014 at Tk 205.02 billion.
Again, it revised the project raising the cost to Tk 287.94 billion for completion by December 2018.
Once again, the cost was raised to Tk 301.93 billion extending the execution deadline up to December 2019.
Later, the government set the target by June 2021.
However, project work began in 2014 after crossing a bumpy road over the issue of external funding.
According to the bridges division, the project has executed 84-per cent work up until January 2021.
With the installation of its last (41st) span, the long-awaited bridge has become visible last December.
Meanwhile, bridges division has sought 58 per cent lower funds than allocated in the revised annual development programme (RADP) for the current fiscal year (FY), 2020-21.
It has proposed for Tk 20.99 billion in the upcoming RADP from the current outlay of Tk 50 billion.
The commission has already started revising the current Tk 2.14-trillion ADP, as the ministries and divisions concerned performed poorly in project implementation during the July-December period of FY 2021.
About time extension, another PC official told the FE that the implementation monitoring and evaluation division would give them a report on the proposal.
"Then we'll consider it for extension. We'll send the proposal to planning minister after scrutiny. The minister has the authority to extend the deadline."
China Major Bridge Engineering is building the country's largest 6.15-kilometre bridge while Sino-Hydro is working for river training.
The government appointed the local Abdul Monem Ltd and its joint-venture Malaysian firm for building approach roads on either side of the under-construction bridge.
It claims the bridge, when commissioned, will boost the gross domestic product by as much as 1.2 per cent.
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