C T Online Desk: Bangabandhu Tunnel was supposed to be inaugurated in February this year. It is not happening before April-May;23 Meanwhile, the progress of work in the entire project has been 96.5 percent. Various works including commissioning of the project are also almost complete.
Project Director (PD) Md. Harunur Rashid Chowdhury told media that more than 96.5 percent of the tunnel work has been completed. Mechanical commissioning work is progressing at a fast pace. The construction of the approach road is also nearing completion. The construction of the cross passage and tunnel related to the toll plaza is still pending.
He also said that although the work of the south tube has been completed, the electrical and mechanical work of the tunnel including the completion of the north tube is ongoing. All work expected to be completed in January. Moreover, modern scanners will be installed at both ends of the tunnel. Construction of tunnel project offices, residential buildings and connecting roads is also ongoing. The tunnel will be suitable for traffic only after the entire work is completed. Hope we can finish the work within the stipulated time. When the tunnel is fully ready for use, the government will decide to inaugurate it.
The duration of the project under the implementation of the Chinese company – China Communication Construction Limited (CCC) was extended two times. The total cost of the tunnel is about 10 thousand 689 crores. This project is being implemented with the funding of Bangladesh and China’s ‘G2G’. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Chinese President Xi Jinping laid the foundation stone of the tunnel construction on October 14, 2016. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the boring work of the first tunnel tube on February 24, 2019.
Meanwhile, a 2013 survey report on the project estimated that 6.3 million vehicles would travel during the year the tunnel is operational. As such, 17 thousand 260 cars can run in a day. By 2025, an average of 28,000 vehicles will run daily. And by the year 2030, about 37 thousand and 162 thousand vehicles will run in 2037, a sources added.
