The National Economic Council, presided over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, yesterday approved the revised ADP.
Apart from the rail link project, allocations for the Matarbari 1,200MW coal-fired power plant and the Payra Deep-sea Port have been increased.
The allocation for the Mass Rapid Transit Line-6 (MRT-6), under which the country s first ever metro rail is being built, remained the same, according to documents.
Apart from the Padma bridge and the Rooppur power plant projects, the allocation for Chattogram-Cox s Bazar Rail Line was also reduced.
The eighth fast-track project, Rampal Power Plan, is not being funded by the ADP.
Most of the projects are running behind schedule largely due to uncertainty over funding, the Gulshan cafe attack in 2016, complexity over designs, planning, and land acquisition.
Padma Rail Link Project: May cost even more, take even longer Tuhin Shubhra Adhikary Tuhin Shubhra Adhikary
The Padma Bridge Rail Link Project, the biggest project of Bangladesh Railway, is facing several challenges that may have an adverse impact on its cost and duration, officials said.
Changes in the design of viaducts on both sides of the bridge, the Covid-19 pandemic, changes in work scopes following the demands of local representatives and government decisions are major the challenges, they said.
These issues of theTk 39,246 crore project came to light at a meeting yesterday at Rail Bhaban. The meeting was call for a review of the progress of the four biggest projects the state-run transport agency is implementing.