The implementation tenure of Parma Bridge project, a mega project of the country, has been extended up to 2022 as its works suffered setback due to COVID-19 pandemic and floods.

Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal revealed this while briefing reporters on the outcomes of a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Public Purchase on Wednesday. The minister said the works on the Padma Bridge project like other projects suffered disruption due to the coronavirus outbreak and heavy floods. "This is why the implementation period of the project has been extended."

He, however, said his ministry is not implementing the project. "It's being implemented by Road Transport and Bridges Ministry which had targeted to complete it by 2021. But the works were seriously hampered due to the pandemic and heavy flooding."

Mustafa Kamal said a proposal of the Korean Expressway Corporation (KEC) was approved at the meeting to extend the texture and cost of river training works on the Padma Bridge Project.

As per the proposal, the river training project was extended for another 34 months until June 2023 from the existing date of June 2020 while the cost of the project was increased by Tk 348.32 crore.

The meeting approved another five proposals. One of these proposals was approved to purchase furniture and other household goods for 956 units of apartments at Tk 55.90 crore under Green City Residential Village where four 20-storiey and six 16-storey buildings are being built. Hatil Complex will supply the furniture and other goods.

The meeting approved some other proposals to supply textbooks for the 2021 educational session.