The total amount of a support scheme of the Rampura-Demra Expressway is about to be wasted as the land acquisition process for the main project has not been completed in four and a half years, thanks to the dillydallying of the authorities concerned.
The government took the support scheme worth Tk 1,210 crore in 2020 to acquire land for the Rampura-Demra Expressway and already spent Tk 356 crore by giving salaries of officials, land acquisition and other purposes.
The tenure of the project expires on December 31 this year.
Amid procrastination, the Chinese farm named Dhaka RAD Elevated Expressway Company Limited has informed the government that it may revoke the Rampura-Demra Expressway project worth Tk 2094 crore if the government fails to complete the work by the stipulated time.
When asked about the progress of the project, project director Enamul Haque told the Bangladesh Post that they are yet to complete the land acquisition process despite spending Tk 356 crore.
“The project has seen only a one-third progress so far. We are acquiring land. The work has been divided into four categories. In the first phase, we have already acquired land and taken the possession of the acquired land while the work of the second and third phases is underway,” he said.
“We are waiting for the allocation of money to complete the last phase of work,” he said.
Over the delay, he said, “Apart from land acquisition, it is necessary to have the no objection certificates from the two city corporations of Dhaka. They are also stakeholders of the project. We are yet to get the NOCs from the two city corporations.”
Officials concerned say that the government took the Rampura-Demra Expressway project on January 9 in 2022 to ease traffic movement.
The PD said that the Chinese consortium has sent a letter urging them to hand over the land by December.
“They (Chinese farm) also inform us that they are facing economic losses due to the delay,” he said.
Sources said that the Bangladesh government signed an agreement with the Chinese consortium on December 9 in 2022.
Officials involved with the project say a new problem has cropped up as the rate of US dollar has gone up by this time.
“The project was taken based on a dollar rate at Tk 87. But the dollar rate has jumped to Tk 117 at present,” said an official.
“That’s why, the Chinese company has been asking for the increased dollar rate,” added the official.
When the attention of the project director was drawn to the issue, he said, “The company has been asking for the increased dollar rate.”
When asked whether the government incurs loss if the dollar rate increases, he said, “If the Chinese consortium withdraws the investment, the government will incur more loss.”
Road Transport and Highways Division secretary A B M Amin Ullah Nuri told the Bangladesh Post that the land acquiring process would be completed by December.
“A discussion will be held if any proposal comes from them regarding the dollar rate. It is because the company has signed the agreement after evaluating many aspects. It will not work if they want to increase the dollar rate at the half way,” he said.
