Karnaphuli Tunnel Project has achieved a “breakthrough” with the completion of the left line despite the coronavirus outbreak in the country.
The project in Chittagong is being constructed by China Communications Construction Company Limited (CCCC).
Featured with a two-tube four-lane of the shield section, the Karnaphuli Tunnel connects Chittagong city to the other side of Karnaphuli River.
It is known that the Multi-Lane Road Tunnel Project under the Karnaphuli River is the first underwater tunnel in South Asia, and also the first overseas large-diameter underwater TBM tunnel undertaken by Chinese company.
The completion of the project will greatly improve the traffic conditions in Chittagong and promote economic development of Bangladesh, said a media release on Monday.
It will also contribute to improvement of the Asian Highway Network, as well as the connectivity between Bangladesh and its neighbouring countries.
In February last year, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the works on 3.5-km Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel, the first in the country, under Karnaphuli River at the Construction Yard of the Tunnel Project area at Patenga.
The tunnel is being built at a cost of Tk9,880 crore to turn Chittagong into “One City Two Towns.”
The total length of the tunnel will be around 9.092km, including 3.50km of tunnel under the Karnaphuli River with an approach road of 4.89km alongside 740m of bridges linking the main port city and western side of the Karnaphuli along with the heavy industry-prone eastern side of the river.
It will cut the road distance between Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar, apart from easing the traffic on Dhaka-Chittagong Highway entering the port city to go to other parts of Chittagong division.
The multi lane tunnel will connect Chittagong Port and Anwara upazila and is expected to make communication between Chittagong and Cox’s Bazar easier in addition to reducing traffic congestion on two bridges over the Karnaphuli River.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Chinese President Xi Jinping jointly laid its foundation stone on October 14 in 2017.
