Ecnec okays procurement MG passenger coaches for Tk927cr

The procurement approval came at the regular ECNEC meeting held at the NEC conference room with Ecnec chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. Briefing the reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said: “The main objectives of the project is to ensure modern, safe and improved journey to the passengers through procurement of some 200 MG passenger coaches, replacing old passenger coaches, meeting up the demand of passenger coaches, introducing new trains to meet the demand of commuters, and thus boosting the revenue of the Bangladesh Railway.” Under the project, some 200 passenger coaches will be procured including 28 MG stainless steel air conditioned sleeper coaches, some 35 MG stainless steel air conditioned chair cars, some 96 MG stainless steel Shovan carriages, some 26 MG stainless steel Shovan carriages with pantry and guard brakes, some 15 MG stainless steel composite power cars. Bangladesh Railway under the Ministry of Railways will implement the project by June 2020. Of the total project cost, the government will provide Tk214 crore while the rest of over Tk713 crore will come as project assistance from the Chinese government. The project is one of the eight projects approved by the Ecnec with an estimated cost of over Tk3,488 crore. Of the total approved project cost, over Tk1,440 crore will come from the state exchequer, over Tk20 crore from the project related organization’s own fund while the rest of around Tk2,028 crore as project assistance. ECNEC also approved a project titled ‘Upgrading Shyamganj-Jaria-Birishiri-Durgapur District Highway into National Highway’ at an estimated cost of over Tk316 crore to upgrade the existing 36.53 kilometer long Shyamganj-Jaria-Birishiri-Durgapur district highway into national highway. The Roads and Highways Department under the Ministry of Roads and Highways Division will implement the project to be implemented at Durgapur and Purbadhala upazilas. The minister stated that ceramic, red sand and coal is transported through this highway linking the Birishiri-Bijoypur land port road and inter district border road side by side many tourists use this highway for the attraction of tourist spots like Birishiri, Durgapur and Kolmakanda. Once the project is implemented, it would be possible to transport the Agri-products and natural products to different parts of the country safely and easily which will ultimately improve the socio-economic conditions of the country and thus help alleviating poverty. The main operations of the project include some 82.59 hectare land acquisition, 4.60 lakh cubic meter earth work in road embankment, some 32.63 kilometer flexible pavement construction, some 32.63 kilometer surfacing and construction of some 6 box culverts. The Ecnec meeting also gave nod to the establishment of Patuakhali Medical College and Hospital at an estimated cost of Tk584.46 crore with the help of Indian fresh Line of Credit (LoC). Of the total project cost, over Tk316 crore will come from the state exchequer while around Tk268 crore from the Indian Line of Credit. The Department of Health under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare will implement the project by June 2020. Under the project, a five-storied hospital building will be built with a 10-storied foundation, constructing five-storey academic building having eight-storey foundation, constructing hostel building for the students, constructing residential building for the physicians, teachers, and officials and employees. Mostafa Kamal said: “Attending the meeting, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has suggested the authorities concerned to set up a Medical College and Hospital in Sunamganj and University.” The other projects approved at the meeting include Rural Electrification Upgradation Project (Rajshahi, Rangpur, Khulna, and Barisal Division), 3rd revised, with around Tk1,400 crore, construction of residential building for judicial officials in city’s Azimpur with over Tk96 crore and Sureshwar canal re-excavation and drainage with Tk59 crore.