Jadukata River Bridge Construction Faces Severe Delays in Sunamganj
Construction of the Shah Arefin-Advaita Prabhu Maitri Bridge over the Jadukata river in Tahirpur, Sunamganj, has faced massive delays. The project, valued at approximately 85.99 million taka, remains incomplete despite years passing since the initial work started.
The construction of the Shah Arefin-Advaita Prabhu Maitri Bridge, situated over the Jadukata river in Tahirpur upazila within the Sunamganj district of Bangladesh, has encountered significant and protracted delays. This critical infrastructure project, designed to improve regional connectivity and ease transportation across the river, was originally scheduled to be completed within a thirty-month timeframe following the commencement of work in December 2018. However, despite the passage of eight years since construction officially began, the bridge has yet to be finished, leaving local communities awaiting the realization of this vital transportation link.
According to the project specifications, the planned Shah Arefin-Advaita Prabhu Maitri Bridge is an extensive infrastructure undertaking with a total length of 750 meters. The substantial scale of the engineering feat is reflected in its financial cost, with the total expenditure for the bridge construction estimated at approximately 85 million 99 lakh taka. The implementation of such a major project requires meticulous planning and execution, yet the extended timeline has stretched far beyond the initial expectations outlined when the groundwork was first laid in December 2018.
The responsibility for executing this major infrastructure initiative was originally awarded to Toma Construction, a firm that secured the contract to build the 750-meter bridge over the Jadukata river. Toma Construction was tasked with delivering the project within the stipulated thirty-month construction period. However, the subsequent delays have pushed the completion date well past the original May 2020 deadline, raising ongoing concerns regarding the pace of implementation and the factors contributing to the prolonged stagnation of the construction site in Tahirpur upazila.
The prolonged delay in finishing the Shah Arefin-Advaita Prabhu Maitri Bridge over the Jadukata river continues to impact the surrounding region of Sunamganj. With the original completion deadline having passed in May 2020, the project's extended duration highlights the challenges faced in completing large-scale public works in Tahirpur upazila. As the community and stakeholders look toward the eventual conclusion of the project, the focus remains on the initial parameters set for the bridge, including its 750-meter length, the nearly 85 million 99 lakh taka budget, and the responsibilities originally assigned to Toma Construction.
