PM to open two major projects in Sylhet Oct 8

At last, the much talked about bridge over the river Surma at Kazirbazar in the Sylhet city is going to be opened formally on October 8.
The Prime Minister is scheduled to formally inaugurate it, along with another important road development project worth Tk 4415.3 million in Sylhet through video conferencing, official sources informed this afternoon. A programme is being arranged at the Deputy Commissioner’s conference room in this connection.
R & H has been implementing the 4-lane 391 metre by 18.5 metre bridge, worth Tk 1450 million. However, it was revised thrice since the foundation was laid in 2005 by the then finance minister M Saifur Rahman.
Although Tk 360 million was targeted expenditure at the beginning, now it is Tk 1450 million with several changes in its original alignment and design. Contacted, the Additional Chief engineer of the R & H, Sylhet zone Iftekhar Kabir told this correspondent today that preparations are afoot to the formal opening of the 2 major projects of the department in Sylhet by the PM. Implementation would bring a major change in the road communication in the region, the official hoped.
However, vehicles of all types were allowed to ply through the bridge for months. Besides, many of the city dwellers gather on the bridge and on its approaches for spending leisure. The other project worth Tk 4415.3 million would be started this year, the official informed further.
The project styled ‘Improvement of Airport Bypass Intersection Lalbag-Salutikor-Companiganj-Bholaganj’ was approved at the ECNEC meeting on April 7 this year. Of the 31-km road, 17 km will be of flexible pavement at a cost of Tk 2130 million, in addition to construction of some culverts, drain, retaining wall etc while 13 km will be rigid pavement with a cost of Tk 1780 million. Everyday about 3000 trucks carry stones from the country’s biggest stone quarry at Bholaganj border.