Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project

Annex 1-2TERMS OF REFERENCEFORENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENTOFPADMA MULTIPURPOSE BRIDGE DESIGN PROJECTDRAFT1.0 Background1. In order to provide a fixed road and railway link between the south-west region andthe rest of the country, the Government of Bangladesh (GOB) is keen to construct a bridgeover the Padma River. Government has undertaken a prefeasibility study in February2000, which concluded a number of possible alignments for the proposed PadmaMultipurpose Bridge Project (PMBP). Based on a request from the GOB, the JapanInternational Cooperation Agency (JICA) conducted a Feasibility Study (FS) of the PMBPduring 2002-2004. This study concluded that the most feasible bridge site is at Mawa-Janjira point, and this selection has approved by the GOB. The FS includes, amongothers, preliminary technical design, economic and financial evaluation, Framework forland acquisition and Resettlement Action Plan (RAP), Initial Environmental Examination(IEE), and Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). As the FS found that the PadmaBridge is economically viable, the GOB intends to move ahead for implementation andaccordingly the GOB conducted to update EIA and prepared EMP, LAP and RAP for theproject during 2006. The Asian Development Bank (ADB) also conducted FS andpreliminary engineering design including Environmental Assessment (EA) andresettlement plan in 2006-2007. The above mentioned studies formed the basis for theGOB to proceed with the detailed engineering design and implementation of the PadmaBridge (Phase 2).2. The GOB retained a consulting firm to undertake detailed design of PadmaMultipurpose Bridge Design Project, which is ongoing. The Project involves the detailedengineering design of the Bridge itself and that of Approach Roads with small bridges andculverts, River Training Works and provision of service areas and associated structuresand resettlement sites development. This TOR is prepared to carryout detailedenvironmental impact assessment (EIA) study for the ‘Padma Multipurpose Bridge DesignProject’ in accordance with the relevant laws and regulations in Bangladesh and EIAguidelines of the co-financiers (Asian Development Bank, the World Bank, JapanInternational Cooperation Association, and Islamic Development Bank, and others). Thestudy will identify potential environmental impacts on physical, ecological, social, cultural,and economic resources of the project areas during design, construction and operationstages. An EIA report will be prepared along with environmental management plan,summarizing mitigation and monitoring plan to address all the identified environmentalimpacts. The study will be carried out by the design consultant during 2009-2010 and theEIA report will be submitted along with the EMP to DOE and other co-financiers forapproval.2.0 Project Location3. The Project area is located in the south-central part (Munshiganj, Shariatpur, andMadaripur Districts) of Bangladesh. The project area at Mawa site (north side of thePadma Bridge) comprises Lauhajang and Srinagar Upazila in Munshiganj District whereasat Janjira Site (south side of the bridge) comprises Janjira Upazila under Shariatpur Districtand Shibchar Upazila Under Madaripur District.3.0 Project Components4. The PMBP consists of the following components:A1-18