The work on Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel, the country's first tunnel under construction beneath the Karnaphuli river, is almost complete and the infrastructure is expected to be inaugurated next month.
Roads and Highways and Bridges Department is now constructing the connecting roads on both sides of the tunnel.
Project officials say the progress of the project is 91 percent as of Thursday. The duration of the project is till December this year. 16 thousand 760 vehicles per day and 70 lakh vehicles per year will be able to move if the tunnel is opened. Extensive changes are being made in the communication system of Chattogram, Bandarban, Cox's Bazar districts around the tunnel. Besides, the initiative to build new industries and factories with the benefit of a communication system has already started.
Karnaphuli Tunnel Construction Project Director Md. Harunur Rashid said, 'Until Thursday, 91 percent of the Bangabandhu Tunnel construction project has been completed. We will complete the rest of the work in a quick time. However, it is not possible to say with certainty how much time it will take to complete the work.
The duration of the project is till December. We are hoping to complete the work within the stipulated period.
Officials related to the project said that the Patenga Naval Academy road in the city starts from the middle of the Karnaphuliriver and rises to the Anwara end of the south area. The tunnel will reach the southern end of the river passing the factories of Chattogram Urea Fertilizer Limited and Karnaphuli Fertilizer Limited. The tunnel will be located in the middle of the Karnaphuliriver at a depth of 150 feet. The construction of the tunnel is being done by the China Contracting Company Communications Construction Company.
he cost has been estimated at Tk 10 thousand 374 crore 82 lakh. 270 Chinese citizens and 1 thousand 152 Bangladeshis are working day and night to implement the project.
The length of the main tunnel under the river with two tubes is 3.32 km. The tunnel tube has a length of 2.45 km and an inner radius of 10.80 m. The tunnel has four lanes in two tubes. 5.35 km approach road and 727 meter over bridge at the west and east ends of the tunnel.
Chief Engineer of Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) Kazi Hasan Bin Shams said, Bangabandhu Tunnel built under the Karnaphuliriver is going to be opened for traffic any day in October. A new milestone will be written in the development of Chattogram through traffic in the tunnel. The expansion of business will increase. The tunnel will contribute to the national economy.
If the tunnel opens, travel time will be saved. It will save fuel and money.
He said, government is working on a grand plan. Bay-Terminal will be opened on the seashore. There will be a large number of people working there. If the Mirsarai Economic Zone becomes fully operational, lakhs of people will live there; it will affect the city. At the other end of the tunnel, Korean EPZ in Anwara, Chinese industrial zone, Matarbari power plant in Maheshkhali, Matarbari deep sea port and ongoing mega projects in Chattogram will increase the crowd. Traffic pressure will increase. Due to these reasons, the work of redecorating the city is going on.
He said, Chattogram Development Authority has undertaken several development activities. A major change is being made to the city's road network just thinking about the tunnel. Changes have been made in the design of the under construction elevated expressway. U-loops and underpasses are being extended here for vehicular movement. In order to handle the pressure of traffic congestion in the city after the opening of the tunnel, efforts are being made to finish the work of eight kilometers of the elevated expressway from Patenga to Nimtala quickly and open it before the opening of the tunnel.
According to the project source, the construction of Bangabandhu Tunnel under the Karnaphuliriver is going on at a cost of Tk 10 thousand 374 crores 82 lakhs. China's assistance in this is Tk 5 thousand 913 crores 19 lakhs. Bangladesh government is giving Tk 4 thousand 461 crore 23 lakh. Exim Bank of China has given this loan at 2 percent rate for 20 years. Chinese contractor China Communication and Construction Company Limited (CCCC) is implementing the tunnel construction project.
Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Chinese President Xi Jinping laid the foundation stone of the project on 14 October 2016. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina officially inaugurated the construction of the Bangabandhu Tunnel on February 24, 2019. The government wants to open the tunnel for traffic next October.
Chinese companies will maintain and collect tolls for the tunnel project. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs meeting on May 18 approved in principle the proposal to appoint China Communications Construction Company Limited for this work.
The Roads and Highways Department is upgrading the 11.5 km road from Shikalbaha Y Junction in Karnaphuli to Dighi in AnwaraKalabibi to six lanes at a cost of Tk 390 crore to link the tunnel with the road. The work of sand filling and culvert construction by removing the illegal structures on both sides of the road is almost at the final stage.
Two fire stations will be set up at both ends of the 3 km long tunnel under the Karnaphuliriver. The stations will have a world class fire protection system. Besides, various information related to this will be open in the tunnel area.
According to the fire service, the fire protection system of the entire tunnel will be ensured. In case of fire due to any reason, the staff of both stations will rush to the spot immediately. Station two will have specialized equipment for fire fighting.
The government has appointed China Communication Construction Company Limited (CCCC) as the service provider for tunnel maintenance and toll collection. Tunnel Maintenance, Bridge/Viaduct Maintenance, Approach Road Maintenance on Both Sides, Installing and Maintaining Tunnel Health Monitoring System, Petrol and Rescue, Automatic Wayscale Management and Toll Collection, Intelligent Traffic System (ITS) Surveillance System, Tunnel Water Supply and Drainage System, Tunnel Fire rescue system, tunnel air ventilation and lighting system and lighting system etc.
Project Director Engineer Md. Harunur Rashid said that 91 percent of the tunnel work has been completed. The work of connecting roads on both sides is going on parallely. We want to complete the work within the stipulated time. That is, I am eager to launch this mega project of the country successfully.
