ECNEC okays project on the route for transporting heavy machines to the Rooppur nuclear power plant
FE Report
The government will carve a navigation route from maritime Mongla to Paksey on the Padma for transport of heavy-duty equipment for the Rooppur nuclear power plant under a Tk 9.56-billion project. This is one of eight projects the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) endorsed in its meeting Tuesday.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting held at the Planning Commission office in the city. The eight projects’ aggregate cost is Tk 31.72 billion.
Emerging from the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal told journalists that the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) will ensure smooth navigation on the Mongla-Chandpur-Goalanda-Paksey route by investing Tk 9.56 billion.
“The river route will mainly be utilised to transport the imported heavy machinery and equipment for the Rooppur nuclear power plant. Since road will not be viable for the transportation of the machinery and other equipment, the river route will be helpful for the proposed nuclear power plant,” he said. Work is underway to set up a 2000-megawatt nuclear power plant at Rooppur in Pabna with the financial and technical support of Russia.
The ECNEC Tuesday also approved ‘Bangladesh regional connectivity project-1’ involving Tk 6.93 billion for ensuring security of Bangladesh’s largest land-port at Benapole, and development of Shaola, Bhomra and Ramgarh land-ports.
Countries in the region are to use cross-border transport corridors through these land-ports under different regional-connectivity initiatives and deals.
Among the ECNEC-endorsed other projects are: Nabinagar-Shibpur-Radhika regional road construction and development project to be implemented at an estimated cost of Tk 3.43 billion, the Widening of Jamalpur-Dhanua Kamalpur-Kadamtala (Roumari) district highways (including Kamalpur land-port link) at Tk3.36 billion, and the Setting up of Sylhet Textile Engineering College at Tk 1.10 billion.
The rest of the projects approved Tuesday are Rajbari town-protection embankment project (2nd phase) involving Tk3.42 billion, Embankment protection on the left side of Jamuna river from Kawlibari bridge to Shakharia (Bharua-Batkhali) under Gopalpur and Bhuwanpur upazila of Tangail district at Tk 2.0 billion, and Harina Ferighat and Kantakhali bazaar of Charbhairabi area under Chandpur district town protection from the Meghna river erosion at Tk 1.91 billion.
The planning minister said the government will provide Tk 25.97 billion from the exchequer and the remaining Tk 5.93 billion will be funded from external resources for the eight development projects.
Ministers, Planning Commission members and high officials concerned were present at the ECNEC meeting.
Sources: thefinancialexpress-bd