Karnaphuli tunnel opening likely to be delayed

Opening the Karnaphuli tunnel is likely to be delayed further, as the government is going to revise the project today (Tuesday) for the second time - extending its completion deadline by one more year, officials said on Monday.

The cost of the tunnel project is also going up by 26.56 per cent from the original cost to Tk 106.89 billion, as the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) will also endorse it today, they added.

The Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) started the Karnaphuli Tunnel project in November 2015.

In 2018, the project was revised for the first time by increasing its cost to Tk 103.74 billion from the initial cost of Tk 84.46 billion. The project tenure was also increased by two and a half years up to December 2022.

However, the BBA has missed the deadline and is now going for extension of the completion date up to December 2023.

A senior BBA official said the entire tunnel is expected to be opened for public by this June, although they are proposing extension of the scheme up to December.

He also said one side of the tunnel is likely to be opened for traffic in February and the other side by June.

The officials noted that the BBA showed depreciation of local currency against US dollar as the main reason for cost escalation of the tunnel that was likely to be opened for vehicular movement next month.

Meanwhile, project insiders said the second revision of the Karnaphuli tunnel project has been proposed due to poor feasibility study, as it included some new components in the DPP.

Of the proposed additional Tk 3.15 billion cost in the second revision, some Tk 250 million will be required for constructing toll plaza and Tk 1.09 billion for the service area.

The BBA has completed some 87 per cent of its physical works. The China Communication Construction Company is working to build the tunnel, which connects the port-city Chittagong on the north side with Anwara upazila on the south.

The length of the main tunnel is 3.32 km, which is 18-31 metres under the Karnaphuli River.

The length of each of its two tubes, having four lanes, is 2.45 km. There will be a 5.35-km connecting road at the western and eastern ends of the main tunnel and a 727-m flyover at the Anwara end.

The tunnel will be used as an alternative route to Cox's Bazar, Teknaf, Matarbari and northern Chittagong, and will play an important role in improving the Asian Highway Network, strengthening connectivity between Bangladesh and the neighbouring countries.

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