Govt to build flyover in haor region at Tk 56b amid economic woes

The government has taken up a project with an estimated cost of Tk 56.51 billion to construct a flyover in haor (wetland) region in Kishoreganj.

Of the projected budget, Tk 27.73 billion will be spent for building the main structure of the flyover while the remaining nearly Tk 30 billion for land acquisition, compensation to the affected, road expansion and the bridge construction.  

The 15.31 kilometre flyover will improve the communication system between Kishoreganj district sadar and the adjacent haor areas, including Itna, Mithamoin and Austagram.

Along with that the project will establish a road communication between Kishoreganj and Dhaka, Sylhet and other districts.

The planning commission said the project will be placed for approval on 17 January -- at a time when the government is reducing its costs by imposing a ban on foreign trips and vehicle purchase of the government officials to save the forex reserve.

Now, the government says the project was taken up on a priority basis that will be implemented, spending money in several phases. 

The project paper says the construction cost of the 15.31 kilometres flyover has been projected at Tk 27.73 billion. Bangladesh bridge division is responsible for acquiring 151 acres of land at the cost of Tk 2.66 billion.  

A total of four bridges will be built under the project; two of them will be 430 metres long each and the remaining ones 330 and 40 metres respectively, will cost Tk 11.47 billion altogether.

The lives of 1,132 families in the project area will be affected adversely. So, the government will have to compensate them Tk 2.30 billion.  

Under the project, the government will also widen a 13-kilometre road at a cost of Tk 4.33 billion and the remaining amount --Tk 56.51 billion -- will be spent for other purposes, including transport fuels, office rent, salaries of the officials.     

The sources concerned said the flyover will improve the communication between Kishoreganj district sadar and the adjacent haor areas, including Itna, Mithamoin and Austagram. Along with that the project will establish a road communication between Kishoreganj and Dhaka, Sylhet and other districts.

If the project is approved on 17 January, then the construction work will be completed by June in 2028.  

The bridge division will implement the project and the flyover will flourish the local tourism and economic activities in the haor region. 

It is learnt, after analysing the project paper, that the finance ministry recommended recruiting 20 people promptly in different assignments of the project which was approved on 24 November in an inter-ministerial committee meeting.          

Tk 460 million will be used for hiring advisers though the government instructed to bring down the advisors hiring costs, the paper added.

The bridge division said around 25,800 vehicles will use the flyover per day in 2030.   

When asked, state minister for planning Shamsul Alam told Prothom Alo that not everything will remain standstill because of the economic crisis.

The government will have to continue its development work. All money estimated in the budget will not be required in one year. The money will be allotted in phases. So, there is no problem with the allocation.