Bangabandhu Tunnel under construction under Karnaphuli River in Chattogram. If it is built, Chattogram will develop as one city two town.
The cost of the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel project under construction under the Karnaphuli river is increasing by another Tk 700 crore. Out of this, Tk 400 crore have to be newly spent on the purchase of scanners alone. Apart from this, construction of police station building and fire station on both sides of the tunnel and other expenses will also be added.
In all, the project cost of Tk 10,300 crore will rise to over Tk 11,000 crore. Another reason for the increase in project cost is the appreciation of the dollar. This information was known by talking to various sources related to the tunnel department.
According to sources, when the project was taken up and the agreement was signed with China to build the tunnel, the dollar was valued at Tk 80. The exchange rate of 1 dollar is Tk 80. Currently, the value of the dollar is Tk 94. Moreover, the period of exemption for loans taken through Exim Bank of China is ending this year. 30 crores dollar are yet to be disbursed. Due to which the exchange rate will increase. Which will adversely affect the project cost.
He said, Revise DPP is not yet out of the division. After it comes out, it will be sent to the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for approval. Only then can you tell exactly how much the cost will increase. He asked to wait for a few more days to know the specifics of the cost hike.
The project director said that important scanner machines should be installed at the entrance of the tunnel for vehicle inspection or testing. Installation of this machine was not in the first DPP (Development Project Profile). The issue of setting up police station buildings on both sides of the tunnel did not come up then. Fire service station should also be established for security. These costs will also be added to the project.
Undeterred by the thought of cost increase, the authorities are proceeding with the construction of Bangabandhu Tunnel under Karnaphuli. They are making all efforts to complete the work by December this year. So far 87 percent of the tunnel work has been completed. Work is underway to complete the remaining 13 percent. After the Padma Bridge, the citizens of Chittagong are waiting for another festival through the inauguration of the tunnel. This is the first time that a tunnel under a river is being built in Southeast Asia.
If the Bangabandhu Tunnel is opened, the work will increase on both banks of Karnaphuli. It is believed that the economic activities in south Chittagong including Anwara, Patyia, Banshkhali, Maheshkhali, Cox's Bazar, especially on the south economy of Karnaphuli will increase manifold. An initiative was taken to build a tunnel under the Karnaphuli river with the aim of developing Chattogram as one city two towns on the model of Shanghai city in China. The 3.32 km long tunnel has a tube length of 2.45 km and an inner diameter of 10.80 m. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the boring work of the first tunnel tube on 24 February 2019. The second tube was inaugurated on 12 December 2020 by Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Chinese President Xi Jinping laid the foundation stone for the tunnel in 2016
Meanwhile, the government has taken a policy decision to give the responsibility of maintenance and toll collection of Bangabandhu Tunnel to China Communication Constructions Company Limited (CCCC). Considering the security of Bangabandhu Tunnel, the proposal to set up two separate police stations is also awaiting approval in the Cabinet Department. Project Department sources said that Bangabandhu Tunnel will have three high risk cross passages. One of them is 90 percent complete. The other two are in progress.
Laying of lane slabs of the first tube between the two tubes inside the tunnel has been completed. More than 80 percent of the lane slab laying work on the second tube has been completed. Inside the tunnel, the ventilation, communication system and other necessary items and materials are being brought from Shanghai, China. Due to the corona virus in Shanghai, the arrival of various equipment needed for the tunnel was delayed since March.
The project cost of the tunnel construction under the Karnaphuli river was initially estimated at Tk 8 thousand 446 crores. The cost of the revised project is estimated at Tk 10 thousand 374 crores. Adverse effects of rising dollar value, purchase of new scanners and cost of construction of police station building and fire service station on both sides are adding up. Due to this, the project cost will increase by Tk 700 crores to 11 thousand crores.
