Consultants have suggested a 6.15 km-long bridge over the river Padma rather than a 5.58 km one proposed earlier in a feasibility report.

Engineering group Maunsell AECOM in its primary design for the Padma bridge proposed a two-level 'superstructure' with traffic communication in the upper level and railway in the lower.

The group based in the Asia-Pacific region presented the Interim Scheme Design Report on Thursday. It was chosen as the consultants for the long-awaited Padma bridge on Jan 19 this year.

Construction of the bridge would cost more than US $ 800 million, according to the consultants.

It said a two-level bridge would require 150-metre wide spans (columns) which would push the total cost to $ 816 million while a single-level bridge with traffic and railway communication would need 180-metre wide span.

"In that case the cost would be around $ 887 million," said Ken Wheeler, project manager for Maunsell AECOM.

The bridge, with a proposed 13.6 km approach road, would also have provisions for gas transmission lines, he added.

Communication minister Syed Abul Hossain, speaking as the chief guest, slammed the previous BNP-led government for delaying the project.

"Prime minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation [of the bridge] at the Mawa point at the end of her last (1996-2001) term."

He urged local and foreign expert panels to provide feedbacks on the report quickly to finalise the scheme design by next month.

Hossain affirmed the government's 'strong commitment' to finish the bridge by 2013. However, on Wednesday, Hossain that completion of the Padma bridge at Mawa, 50 km south of Dhaka, may not be possible within the tenure of the current administration.

The Awami League-led government is expected to leave office in December 2013.

"The project would be delayed if tenders for construction work had to wait until after loan agreements have been secured with donors," he told reporters after a farewell with departing World Bank country director Xian Zhu.

Source: bdnews24.com

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