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'Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel' under the Karnaphuli River in Chattogram will be opened to traffic on October 28 this year as 100 per cent of its construction work has been completed.
The above information was disclosed by a source at a preparatory meeting for the inauguration of the country's first ever tunnel, held at Chattogram Circuit House in the port city on Tuesday.
The meeting source also revealed that 98 per cent of the total project work has been completed.
Harunur Rashid, project director, said, "After completion of 100 per cent construction work of the tunnel, we are checking the safety system now."
He added, "Construction work of the Karnaphuli Tunnel Project has already been completed fully. Along with this, construction work of the approach road has also been completed."
He added, "Construction work of the cross passage and tunnel linked to the toll plaza has also been completed. Mechanical, electrical and civil works of the tunnel have also been as well."
"Besides, two tubes have already been constructed within an 11-metre gap so that heavy vehicles can pass through the tunnel easily. We have completed the excavation work. Now roads being are constructed at the tubes," he continued.
The government has taken the decision of opening Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel on a new date- October 28 next, he added.
The total length of the tunnel is around 9.092 kilometers including 3.40 kilometers under the Karnaphuli River with an approach road of 4.89 kilometers alongside 740 meters of bridges linking the main port city and western side of the Karnaphuli along with the eastern side of the river.
The multilane 'Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel' will directly connect Chittagong port and South Chattogram, particularly Anwara upazila, and is expected to make communication between Chattogram and Cox's Bazar easier.
The tunnel will also ease traffic congestion on two bridges over the Karnaphuli River.
It may be mentioned that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the excavation work under the Karnaphuli River for the infrastructure on February 24, 2019.
The total expenditure of the project is Tk84.4664 billion (Tk8446.64 crore or US$105.58 crore) while China has provided Tk 55.05billion (Tk 5,505 crore or US$70.59 crore).
Chaired by Manjur Hossain, secretary of the Bridges Division under the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, the meeting was addressed, among others, by Tofail Islam, Chattogram divisional commissioner, Nur E Alam Mina, deputy inspector general of police (DIG) Chattogram Range, Krishna Poda Roy, commissioner of Chattogram Metropolitan Police, Abul Bashar Mohammed Fakhruzzaman, deputy commissioner (DC) of Chattogram, A Z M Nasir Uddin, general secretary of Chattogram city Awami League, Harunur Rashid, project director, and Najrul Islam, chairman of Anwara Upazila.