Payra Seaport cost doubles

Staff Correspondent: The first revised proposal of necessary development infrastructures or facilities for conducting the operations of the Payra Deep Seaport has been approved, making the original project cost of the country's third seaport in Patuakhali nearly double.

The cost of first revised project has been endorsed with Tk 3,350.51 crore. The scheme was approved in 2015 with an approximate cost of Tk1,128.43 crore.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved the project among 16 projects on Tuesday.

Ecnec Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the meeting held at the NEC conference room in the capital.

While briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said, “The Payra Deep Seaport is also a dream project for us like the Padma Bridge project. This is our main project. The project needs acquisition of 6,059 acres land. Another 493.08 acres land needs for rehabilitation to the people who became victims due to the project.

The Planning Minister said 16 projects were approved on Tuesday with an overall estimated cost of Tk 9,680.05 crore.

Of the approved projects, 12 are new while four are revised ones.

The other projects approved at the meeting are, ‘Construction of Border Roads' involving Tk 1,699.85 crore, Bhaberchar-Gazaria-Munshiganj district highway widening involving Tk 80.06 crore, Infrastructural Development of Sylhet City Corporation with Tk 547.28 crore, Construction of Headquarters of National Security Intelligence (NSI) (1st revised) with Tk249.59 crore, Construction of residential building for government officials and employees at Noakhali Sadar with Tk 219.05 crore.

The other approved projects include Construction of Headquarters for the Bangladesh Post Office (revised) with Tk 91.90 crore, Protection and dredging works from Bakshi Lunchghat to Baburhat Lunchghat from the erosion of Tentulia River under Charfasson upazila in Bhola and flood control in Kukri-Mukri island with Tk 523.36 crore, Protecting Lord Hardinge and Dholigouranagar Bazar under Lalmohon upazila of Bhola from the erosion of Meghna River with Tk 432.55 crore.

Riverbank Protection of Swarnadip (Jahaijjar Char) from the erosion of Meghna under Hatia and Subarnachar upazilas in Noakhali with Tk 88.62 crore, National crops supply and nutrition security development through enhancing the capacity of Udyan Unnoyan Bibhagh of BADC with Tk 110.50 crore, Expansion of National Institute of Neurosciences and Hospital with Tk 420.38 crore, Bangladesh land survey education development project with Tk 278.85 crore, Ensuring safe email and establishment of Digital Literacy Centre for Bangladesh government with Tk 116.31 crore and Establishment of Sheikh Hasina National Burn and Plastic Surgery Institute, Dhaka (1st revised) with Tk 912.80 crore also got go-ahead at the meeting.

risingbd/Dhaka/March 20, 2018/Hasibul/A K Azad