Bangabandhu Tunnel opens to traffic in February

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel under the Karnaphuli River is expected to be opened for vehicular traffic in next February.

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel under the Karnaphuli River is expected to be opened for vehicular traffic in next February.
Jointly funded by Bangladesh and China, most of the works of Bangabandhu Tunnel, the first of its kind in Bangladesh, have already been completed, and authorities expect that the tunnel will be opened to public traffic in February this year.
Earlier, the civil works of the first tube had been completed on November 26. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina opened the celebration of the completion of civil works of the first tube of two-tube tunnel on the same day.
The construction work on the 9.39 kilometres (5.83 miles) multi-lane tunnel was started on October 14, 2017 and is being implemented by the Bangladesh Bridges Authority (BBA). The tunnel is being built at a cost of Taka 10,537 crore to turn Chattogram into 'One City Two Towns'.
The tunnel, the first-ever one in the country, will open a new era in the history of communication system of the region.
Sources said, once opened, it will be a game changer for the south east region of Bangladesh, presenting a solution to connectivity issues to the rest of the country. It is also part of China's One Belt One Road initiative and a key link in planned cross-country transport corridors.
Officials said, two tubes of the tunnel have been constructed with an 11-metre gap from each other with the view to ensuring unhindered movement of heavy vehicles through the underwater portion of multi-lane expressway.
As part of the project, bridges, totalling 740 metres in length have been built, linking the main port city and western side of Karnaphuli River with the heavily industrialising eastern side of the river and Anwara Upazila.