Drainage plancosts rising

SUVARNABHUMI

Drainage plancosts rising

SUTHIWIT CHAYUTWORAKAN

Samut Prakan _ The Irrigation Department has blamed soft soil and the late delivery of land for the delay and rising cost of improving flood drainage in the Suvarnabhumi area.

Project director Paijen Maksuwan said the work, intended to ease prolonged flooding in Samut Prakan's Muang and Bang Phli districts, was only 46% complete, far behind the 84% projection.

Construction of a canal to drain water from Klong Samrong to the sea had floundered because canal banks had subsided.

The foundation design had to be revised, which not only took time but also increased the cost of construction.

Land appropriation for the project was also behind schedule, and the department had failed to deliver the construction site to the contractor on time, Mr Paijen said.

The department will seek cabinet approval to amend the project contract, increase the budget and construction period from the present 780 days, he said. The project should be completed by about November next year. The budget for land appropriation and construction was earlier set at 8.7 billion baht.