A Correspondent :
Prime Ministers of Bangladesh and China are expected to inaugurate the construction work of a 3.5km tunnel under the Karnaphuli River at the end of April.
Talking to journalists , Abdus Salam, Chairman of the Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) said the date will be finalised with the arrival of the Chinese Premier in Bangladesh.
According to CDA sources, the length of the 4-lane tunnel will be 3.5 km while the approach road on both sides of the river will be at around 6 km. The cost of the tunnel has been estimated at taka 70 billion.
It will be built on a ‘Government-to-Government’ basis, hoping the project would be completed by 2018.
The tunnel will connect the proposed Asian Highway to Dhaka-Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar Highway. The port city will be immensely benefitted with the construction of the tunnel.
Chinese company CCC and Hong Kong-based Arup have prepared the tunnel’s alignment after doing a feasibility study costing around Tk 140 million. Twin cities would be developed on both the banks of the River Karanaphuli in addition to establishment of new industrial zone with the setting up of the tunnel. A 26-member team of Chinese government headed by Deputy Director Prof Sun Xuegong of Economic Research Institute of Development and Reform Commission of China visited the site at the estuary of the River Karnaphuli recently.
The tunnel will be constructed with the financial and technical assistance of China. The Bridge division of the Road Transport and Bridge Ministry will supervise the project. Bangladesh and China have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on construction of a tunnel under the Karnaphuli River in Chittagong when the Bangladesh Prime Minister visited China last year.
Communication Secretary Khandakar Anwarul Islam and Vice Minister of Ministry of Transport and Communication of China Chi-Kuo Mao inked the MoU in the Chinese capital, Beijing, on June 09 in 2014 last.
Prime Ministers of Bangladesh and China are expected to inaugurate the construction work of a 3.5km tunnel under the Karnaphuli River at the end of April.
Talking to journalists , Abdus Salam, Chairman of the Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) said the date will be finalised with the arrival of the Chinese Premier in Bangladesh.
According to CDA sources, the length of the 4-lane tunnel will be 3.5 km while the approach road on both sides of the river will be at around 6 km. The cost of the tunnel has been estimated at taka 70 billion.
It will be built on a ‘Government-to-Government’ basis, hoping the project would be completed by 2018.
The tunnel will connect the proposed Asian Highway to Dhaka-Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar Highway. The port city will be immensely benefitted with the construction of the tunnel.
Chinese company CCC and Hong Kong-based Arup have prepared the tunnel’s alignment after doing a feasibility study costing around Tk 140 million. Twin cities would be developed on both the banks of the River Karanaphuli in addition to establishment of new industrial zone with the setting up of the tunnel. A 26-member team of Chinese government headed by Deputy Director Prof Sun Xuegong of Economic Research Institute of Development and Reform Commission of China visited the site at the estuary of the River Karnaphuli recently.
The tunnel will be constructed with the financial and technical assistance of China. The Bridge division of the Road Transport and Bridge Ministry will supervise the project. Bangladesh and China have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on construction of a tunnel under the Karnaphuli River in Chittagong when the Bangladesh Prime Minister visited China last year.
Communication Secretary Khandakar Anwarul Islam and Vice Minister of Ministry of Transport and Communication of China Chi-Kuo Mao inked the MoU in the Chinese capital, Beijing, on June 09 in 2014 last.
