BRT opening in Sept unlikely as contractors call for more time

Infographic: TBS

The government's plan to inaugurate the long-awaited Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, connecting Gazipur with Dhaka airport, in September this year has become uncertain as the Chinese contractors have been unable to complete the construction work within the given timeframe.

According to sources, construction work for around 16% of the 4.5 km elevated section and 11% of the 16 km at grade or road section of the 20.5 km dedicated bus transit are still pending.

The deadline for the completion of the elevated section expired on 30 June this year, while the deadline for the road section is set to end this July.

The contracted companies, Jiangsu Provincial Transportation and Group Co Ltd China and China Gezhouba Group Co. Ltd (CGGC), have already proposed an extension of two months for the elevated section and six months for the grade section respectively.

The Bangladesh Bridge Authority and the Roads and Highways Department have confirmed that the process to extend the deadlines has been initiated.

The cost of the road segment package is also being raised by more than 47%, said project officials.

Moreover, stakeholders say that as the technology for the two flyovers within the project remains undecided, additional time will be required to finalise the construction work.

Safiqul Islam, managing director of Dhaka BRT Company, said that the contractors' proposal has received preliminary approval, but the official approval is pending. Consequently, some parts of the project may require until December to be completed.

Recently, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader announced the government's aim of introducing a fully operational BRT service in September.

The government started the project in 2012 to provide high-quality bus services with dedicated lanes. Initially planned for completion in 2016, it is now projected to finish by December 2024, with the cost revised from Tk2,040 crore to Tk4,268 crore.

So far, the deadline of the project has been extended in five phases.

Prolonging project duration

Jiangsu Provincial Transportation and Group Co Ltd of China began work in December 2017 under a contract worth Tk935.13 crore to construct 4.50 km of elevated roads, Tongi Bridge, and six BRT stations.

The 916-day contract called for completion by June 2020, but it was extended to September of that year. It was later extended twice, in phases, to August 2021 and September 2022. At the end of that period, the contract was extended for the fifth time, to June 2023.

The initial 916-day contract has already been extended to 2,023 days. If the contract is extended once again, it will result in a total project duration of 2,085 days, which is 2.28 times longer than the original contract period.

On the other hand, the Tk855.38 crore contract for construction of 16 km at-grade BRT along with road development, seven flyovers, 19 BRT stations, two terminals and 25 km drains started in April 2017.

China Gezhouba Group Co Ltd (CGGC) extended the contract period in five stages, resulting in a total of 916 additional days, up until this July. However, under the new proposal, it is estimated that the project will require a total of 2,453 days to complete, which is 2.68 times longer than the original contract duration.

The project implementation committee meeting recently let it be known that 13% of road widening work is still pending in the bridge authority part of the project. The construction of flyovers is also pending. The progress in constructing six stations has only progressed 27%.

The construction of the flyover in the Roads and Highways Department section is also pending. Work on 19 BRT stations has progressed by 56%, while 15 foot overbridges are 55% complete. In addition, some road pavement work and drainage system development are still left to be done.

At grade section's cost to increase

Project officials say that the initial estimated cost for the road section work was Tk855.36 crore, but the contractor is now claiming Tk1,259.43 crore, resulting in an expenditure increase of Tk404.06 crore for this section.

ASM Elias Shah, project director of the RHD segment, told TBS that several new tasks have been added to the contract over time, while unnecessary work is being eliminated. The rise in material costs has contributed slightly to the overall increase in expenses.

He noted that a proposal to extend the contract duration and revise the package cost has been submitted to the lending institution, the Asian Development Bank (ADB). Once the ADB's decision is received, a final decision will be made regarding the contract extension until 31 December.

He, however, emphasised that all efforts are being made to finish the work by September, as announced.

Uncertainty over technology in flyovers

Sources at the Roads and Highways Department said that new complexities have emerged in determining the technology to be employed for the two flyovers at Gazipur intersection and Bhogra.

According to the Project Implementation Committee meeting, the consulting firm is still evaluating whether to utilise Balance Cantilever Support for the flyover at Gazipur intersection. The decision regarding the implementation of Mechanically Stabilised Earth Retaining Wall (MSE wall) for the Bhogra bypass is still pending.

Engineers have explained that Balance Cantilever Support is employed to minimise the use of pillars in flyover construction. While this approach seems reasonable for constructing flyovers at busy road junctions, it requires careful consideration and precaution when implementing such technology.

Dr Hadiuzzaman, professor at the Department of Civil Engineering, Buet, said that constructing the flyover in a busy area like Gazipur through employing conventional methods would exacerbate the existing inconveniences. Therefore, the utilisation of advanced technology like Balance Cantilever Support seems reasonable.

However, he said that prolonging the project work further would not be justifiable.

ASM Elias Shah said that technical issues are common in large and complex projects. Decisions are being made through discussions to have the work make progress.

He also confirmed that construction on the Gazipur flyover has already started.

No punishment for the contractors

In a report prepared in June 2020, the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED) recommended disciplinary action against the contractors for negligence in construction works.

Even though more than three years have passed, the authorities have not been able to punish any of the contractors.

Mahirul Islam Khan, director of the bridge section of the BRT project, said that if the contractors are solely responsible for the delay, penalties can be imposed. 

"However, it is important to acknowledge that there were challenges in clearing the roads for construction work and acquiring the necessary land within the expected timeframe. Additionally, the progress of the work has been affected at times due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic," he said.

Dr Hadiuzzaman suggested that those responsible for the delays should be identified and held accountable, as completing the project within the designated timeframe seems unlikely.