Taka 34.49 bln project to ensure nuke plant safety

Dhaka – The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved six projects, including Tk 3,449.05-crore Physical Protection System (PPS) Project to Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.

The approval came from an Ecnec meeting held at NEC conference room with Ecnec Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

“Six projects were approved today involving an overall estimated cost of Tk 4,447.76 crore,” said Planning Minister MA Mannan while briefing reporters after the Ecnec meeting.

Of the cost, Tk 4,439.86 crore will come from the national exchequer while the remaining Tk 7.90 crore from the own funds of the organisations concerned, Mannan said.

Of the six projects, five are new while another is revised one.

The Planning Minister said the Nuclear Security and Physical Protection System Cell and Bangladesh Army, Army Headquarters, GS Section (coordination) will implement the project by March 2023 from October 2019.

He said the experts concerned from Bangladesh Army in cooperation with their counterpart from Russian Federation will implement the project.

The main objectives of the project include ensuring security to the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant through implementing the physical protection system alongside creating supporting environment for generating nuclear power in safe and protected manners.

The main project operations include some 300 acres of land acquisition, 1,214,678 cubic metres of land development, public works for security and physical protection system.

Minister Mannan said the Prime Minister at the Ecnec meeting suggested relaxing or revising the Public Procurement Rules (PPRs) so that all contractors can participate in bidding and healthy competition, not only the big ones.

The PM directed the executing agencies concerned to implement their projects speedily maintaining quality within the stipulated time.

She also directed the ministries and divisions concerned not for constructing bridges in rural areas blocking the normal water flow.

The five other approved projects include Jashore (Rajarhat)-Monirampur-Keshabpur-Chuknagar Regional Highway Development with an estimated cost of Tk 366.28 crore, Construction of 391.34-metre Muhuri Bridge and 50.12-meter Fazilaghat Bridge with MSk 71.38 crore and Road Development Project from Ekatabazar to BNS Sheikh Hasina in Cox’s Bazar spending Tk 361.22 crore.

The rest two projects are Construction of Parjatan Bhaban at Agargaon (1st revised) with Tk 79.01 crore and Protecting both sides of River Surma at Dashgram, Mahtabpur and Rajapur Pargana areas under Sylhet Sadar and Biswanath upazilas with Tk 120.82 crore.