A 780 meter Kalurghat bridge will be constructed at a cost of Taka 6,341 crore in the style of Padma bridge. The Korean government will bear all the costs of the bridge. This bridge will be a two-storey bridge like the Padma bridge so vehicles and trains both can use this bridge.
A meeting on the progress of the Kalurghat Rail with Road Bridge was held at the Railway Eastern Headquarters CRB on Wednesday morning to decide on the proposed design and accessories of the new bridge.
Freedom fighter Moslem Uddin Ahmed, Member of Parliament for Chattogram-8 constituency, told reporters that the Prime Minister came to inaugurate the third Karnafhuli Bridge in 2010. That day we held a public meeting at the CDA ground.
He said, authorities thus planned to build a new bridge at Kalurghat. Due to various complications, the project came back to ECNEC. At that time, the cost was much lower. Eventually I started working on it again after I got in charge. Later there was a tender for the design. The Prime Minister said at the ECNEC meeting that it was time to revise it.
He said that even in the midst of the Coronavirus crisis, the ministry and the local resort division, which had talked to foreign countries for funding, had been re-tendered after repeated talks with secretaries and ministers. Those who had studied earlier in that tender got the job again. As a result, the design was submitted in a very short time. However, they have taken some time to talk to the railways and others and submit it to the government. They will submit it next August. That is why a final meeting has been held with the Railways today.
Jahangir Alam, General Manager of Eastern Railway, said the new bridge would be built 70 meters upstream from the existing bridge. A connecting road will be built by the Roads and Highways Department.
It will take 7 months to complete the tender. The full report will be submitted next August. All tender complications will end this year. I am trying to lay the foundation stone of Kalurghat Bridge this year. This bridge will be built in the style of Padma bridge.