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4 years ago

Work of Karnaphuli tunnel goes on at snail's pace

Coronavirus fallout

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurates the excavation work of the project under the Karnaphuli river on February 24, 2019 — Focus Bangla photo
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurates the excavation work of the project under the Karnaphuli river on February 24, 2019 — Focus Bangla photo

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CHATTOGRAM: The Karnaphuli tunnel project is unlikely to be completed within the scheduled time due to the outbreak of coronavirus in the country.

The construction work of Karnaphuli Tunnel project almost came to a halt during the period between February and April last. It is now going very slowly due to lack of workers and staff following the outbreak of coronavirus, sources said.

They said the progress of construction work was only 2 per cent from February to June. Some of the Chinese officials who went on vacation on the occasion of New Year came back while some of them have not yet returned. Moreover, local workers are not available now for continuing the construction work in full swing. A total of 293 Chinese staff and officials and 240 locals are now working at the project site on a limited scale.

Project Director Harunur Rashid said, "Coronavirus outbreak is hampering the construction work now. There is a shortage of workers for fear of coronavirus. The workers living in the project area are now working while no workers can go to the project site from elsewhere."

He said, "After coronavirus outbreak, the construction work is continuing on a limited scale. From February to April, the work almost stopped due to general holidays. Later, the construction work is continuing slowly after Eid-ul-Fitr."

He added, "Around 3 per cent work was completed during the coronavirus pandemic. But 52 percent construction workof the project was completed before the corona outbreak."

Around 55 per cent work has been completed so far.

He has expressed the fear that if the pandemic prolongs, the construction work of the project is likely to be delayed further and could not be complete within the stipulated time.

He said, "After the situation becomes normal, the construction workwill start again in full swing. We will try to complete the construction of the tunnel within the scheduled time."

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the excavation under the Karnaphuli River on February 24 in 2019.

According to sources, the total cost of the Karnaphuli tunnel project was estimated at Tk 84.46 billion. China is providing Tk 55.05 billion while the rest of amount is being provided by the government of Bangladesh.

They said the total length of the proposed tunnel will be around 9.092 kilometres including 3.40 kilometres under the Karnaphuli River with an approach road of 4.89 kilometres alongside 740 metres of bridges linking the main port city and western side of the Karnaphuli along with the heavy industry-prone eastern side of the river.

The tunnel will reduce the road distance between Chattogram and Cox's Bazar, apart from facilitating heavy traffic on Dhaka-Chattogram Highway entering the port city to go to other parts of Chittagong division.

The multilane tunnel route will pass through the river close to Navy College on one side and Korean Export Processing Zone (KEPZ) and Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company (KAFCO) on the other.

The tunnel will connect Chattogram port and Anwara upazila and is expected to make communication between Chattogram and Cox's Bazar easier. It will also ease traffic congestion on two bridges over the Karnaphuli River.

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