Complete fast-track projects in time: PM:Daily Sun

Sheikh Hasina Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday directed all concerned to complete the fast-track projects within the stipulated time by performing their own responsibilities properly, reports UNB. The prime minister gave the directive at a meeting of the Fast Track Project Monitoring Committee held at the Prime Minister’s Office. In the meeting, the monitoring committee brought two mega p
rojects under the government’s Fast Track Project category for their smooth and speedy implementation. The two new projects are Matarbari Ultra-super Critical coal fired power project and Paira Port project. The six other projects already on Fast Track are the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project, construction of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant, 2x660 MW Moitree Super Thermal Power Project (Rampal), Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project (Metro Rail), construction of LNG terminal project and Deep Sea Port. The total costs of the project are estimated at $ 15.5 billion. Briefing reporters after the meeting, PM’s Press Secretary AKM Shameem Chaudhuri said the meeting also discussed the progress of these six projects. The meeting also reviewed the progress of the decisions taken in the first and second meetings of the Fast Track Project Monitoring Committee, review the latest implementation progress of the projects under the Fast Track, review the implementation progress of determining the working strategy for formulating DPP and TPP of projects and delay in approval or removing errors. While incorporating the US$ 4.6 billion Matarbari Coal fired power plant at Maheshkhali in Cox’s Bazar, the meeting was informed that 2x600 MW ultra super critical coal fired power plants would be built through this project. And for this, canal, jetty, link road and township will be built and skilled manpower will be created apart from rural electrification. The meeting was told that the capacity of the power plant would be raised to 10,000 MW gradually, while the Dohazari-Cox’s Bazar- Gundum rail line would be extended to Matarberi from the Pekua point. On August 12 last year, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved the country’s most expensive Matarbari project. Coal Power Generation Company Bangladesh Limited (CPGCBL) under the Power Division will implement the project aiming to address the power deficiency in the country as well as ensuring uninterrupted power supply, ensuring the country’s economic development and improving the living standard of people. Under the project, there will be two coal-based power plants, each having power generation capacity of 600 MW of power. The entire project is scheduled to be completed by June 2023, according to the project documents. Already, some 1,500 acres of land have been acquired for the project while the appointment of consultant for the project is at the final stage. Besides, work on erecting boundary fencing surrounding the acquired land is undergoing. Ultra Super Critical Technology will be used at the Matarbari project that will have work efficiency of 41.99 percent, which is higher than the average work efficiency of other coal-based power plants (34pc) in Bangladesh. The work efficiency of the power plants in the USA is 36 percent. The meeting was informed that the construction work on much-awaited Padma Bridge would be completed on December 7, 2018. The meeting was also informed that the construction work on approach roads on Janzira and Mawa sides, service area-II, river training work, river bank protection work on the Janzira construction yard, land accusation and handing over of plots of the affected people in the rehabilitated area are going on. Besides, the work on Geotechnical Investigation of the main bridge has started at two points while the survey work and setting out is under way. The meeting was also told that 30 percent work of the approach road at Janzira side, 20 percent work of approach road at Mawa side, 15 percent work of service area-2, 1.5 percent work of the main bridge, 99 percent work of land acquisition and 65 percent work of rehabilitation programme have been completed. Besides, supervision work of the main bridge and river training is under way. About the progress of the Ruppur Nuclear Power Plant the meeting was informed that three programmes out of five have already been achieved under the first agreement signed between Bangladesh Tomic Energy Commission and Russian Federation. Under the second agreement 50 percent activities have been finished while the work of the third agreement has begun. The draft of a separate law for formation of a company through appointing consulting firm by the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission has been prepared which will be placed in the cabinet soon. The fourth agreement between the Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission and Russian Federation will be inked soon, PM’s Press Secretary said adding the work of the project would be completed in time. While reviewing the progress of the Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Project, the meeting was apprised that necessary land has been acquired for the construction of a depot for MRT Line-6. The work on geotechnical survey of the project began on June 11, 2014. Besides, the work of the basic design ended last month while the work of the detailed design would finish in July this year. About the construction of deep seaport at Sonadia in Cox’s Bazar, the meeting was informed that a techno-economic study has been completed by Pacific Consultants International of Japan to build the seaport. Though the project was supposed to be implemented on PPP basis primarily, a decision to implement the project on government-to-government basis has been taken as no investor expressed their interest to this effect. To his end, three countries submitted their presentation and another expressed their interest to give presentation. Later, a 10-member committee, headed by the principal secretary, has been formed to examine the proposals received so far. Besides, a draft law on the Sonadia deep seaport will be formulated. About the Moitree Super Thermal Power project at Rampal, the meeting said the work on earth filling in the project site and boundary wall is under way while fencing work of the main power plant has been completed. The work on geotechnical survey has completed. The process on appointing a financial adviser, HR consultant and preparing tender document for power line is under process. The DPP for capital dredging in the Pashur River has been submitted to the Ministry of Shipping.