With the idea of expediting the construction of the flyover, the Ministry has dropped two additional components -- construction of a bridge at Dhanmondi and a road at Agargaon.

The deadline followed a high profile meeting as the LGED had already missed two deadlines in February 2003 and June 2004. The construction of the flyover began in September 2001.

The LGED proposed to complete the construction of entire project, including the two additional components, by June 2005, but the ministry cited the two components as causes for delay in main project.

The ministry asked the LGED to include the two additional components in another of the Prime Minister's priority projects and construct them separately.

Ministry officials said the LGED included the two components with the Khilgaon Flyover project violating planning disciplines, as the Dhanmondi Bridge and Agargaon road has no link with the flyover.

According to LGED officials, the estimated cost of the flyover has shot up to Tk 81.84 crore from Tk 74.50 crore. Ministry officials said the LGED recently included construction of surface-level footpath, drainage divider, road overlaying and relocation of utility services as incidental components.

A senior official of the Ministry of LGRD and Cooperatives told The Daily Star that the bridge and road construction were not included in the main flyover project.

He further said the additional components that need approval from the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec), is time consuming. He said all obstacles have been removed making it possible to complete the flyover by this December.

"If the LGED is sincere in its endeavour, it would be possible to meet the December deadline as 80 percent work of the 2,505-metre long flyover has already been completed," he added. The official said decision has also been taken to request Prime Minister Khaleda Zia to inaugurate the flyover in the first week of January.