Karnaphuli Tunnel Explained

Karnaphuli Tunnel
Location:Chittagong, Bangladesh
Coordinates:22.2304°N 91.8044°W
Status:Operational
Route:2
Start:South Patenga
End:Anwara Upazila
Owner:Government of Bangladesh
Traffic:17,000 per day
Toll:-
Engineer:Chinese
Length:3.32 km (9.39 km including approach road)
Lanes:4
Speed:Maximum 80 km/h
Width:10.8 m
Depth Below Water:18 to 31 m
Grade:A1
Pushpin Map Caption:Location of the tunnel in Patenga To Anwara Upazila, Chattogram Division
Pushpin Map:Bangladesh Chittagong division
Waterway:Karnaphuli River

Karnaphuli Tunnel, also known as Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel, is an underwater expressway tunnel in the port city of Chittagong, Bangladesh under the Karnaphuli River. The length of the entire route is 9.39km (05.83miles), with the tunnel making up 3.32km (02.06miles) of the length. The tunnel diameter is . It is expected, over 17,000 vehicles will be able to use this tunnel daily.[1] The cost of the project is estimated at US$1.1B, of which around half is financed by the Exim Bank of China.[2] [3] The Karnaphuli Tunnel is the first underwater road tunnel in South Asia.[4] [5] It is expected to improve the DhakaChittagongCox's Bazar highway network.[6] [7] [8] A Chinese company, China Communications Construction Company, was selected to construct it.[9] The tunnel segments were produced in Zhenjiang, China.

History

On 14 October 2016, Bangladesh Prime Minister and Chinese President Xi Jinping laid the foundation stone of the project.[10] Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Chinese Communist Party general secretary Xi Jinping inaugurated the construction site of the Karnaphuli Tunnel on 14 October 2017. Hasina officially inaugurated the construction of the tunnel and inaugurated the tunnel boring phase on 24 February 2019.[11] On Saturday 28 October 2023, Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the Karnaphuli Tunnel and was made available for traffic from 6 am the next day.[12]

Financing

The construction of the tunnel cost . In October 2016, during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Dhaka, the loan agreement for the construction of the Karnaphuli Tunnel was signed. According to the agreement, Exim Bank of China provided as a 20-year loan at 2 percent interest rate. The rest of the funding was provided by the Bangladesh government.[13]

According to the Karnaphuli Tunnel Authority, in the first year since its inauguration, the daily expenditure is four times more than the income.[14] The tunnel authorities are facing financial losses mainly due to the lack of expected traffic.According to the Bangladesh Bridge Authority, till October 20, 2024, an average of 3,910 vehicles used the tunnel daily, from which the average daily income was Tk 10 lakh 37 thousand, against the daily operating cost of Tk 37 lakh 47 thousand. As there is not enough income from the tunnel, these expenses are being paid from the state Treasury.[15]

Technologies

Karnaphuli Tunnel has more than 100 cameras for security, capable of discerning license plate numbers.[16] [17]

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Over 17,000 vehicles will be able to use Bangabandhu tunnel daily, Quader says . 26 October 2023 . Dhaka Tribune . 26 October 2023 . en . 26 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231026145614/https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/329105/over-17-000-will-be-able-to-use-bangabandhu-tunnel . live .
  2. Web site: 18 June 2019. Breaking new ground: Bangladesh's first underwater tunnel. https://web.archive.org/web/20200802183429/https://www.smec.com/newsroom/current-news/breaking-new-ground-bangladeshs-first-underwater-tunnel. 2 August 2020. 8 August 2020. SMEC. live.
  3. Web site: Karnaphuli tunnel to be ready for vehicular movement by next year. 18 June 2021. The Financial Express. en. 12 December 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211212015126/https://www.thefinancialexpress.com.bd/economy/karnaphuli-tunnel-to-be-ready-for-vehicular-movement-by-next-year-1610979206. live.
  4. News: PM set to inaugurate Karnaphuli tunnel project Feb 24 . 5 August 2020 . The Independent . It will be the first ever river tunnel in South Asia and we expect the construction work to be completed by 2022 . 27 September 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220927174503/https://www.theindependentbd.com/printversion/details/187196 . live .
  5. News: Mega projects of Bangladesh and prospective impacts in transforming the economy . 5 August 2020 . Saudigazette . 25 March 2019 . English . 30 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201030040016/https://www.saudigazette.com.sa/article/562003/World/Asia/Mega-projects-of-Bangladesh-and-prospective-impacts-in-transforming-the-economy . live .
  6. News: First ever river tunnel under Karnaphuli planned . The Financial Express . Dhaka . 8 April 2013 . 4 April 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150404134823/http://www.thefinancialexpress-bd.com/index.php?ref=MjBfMDRfMDJfMTNfMV8yXzE2NTA3MQ. live .
  7. News: Work on Karnaphuli tunnel to begin this FY: Minister . Dhaka Tribune . 5 August 2013 . 8 August 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130808061842/http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2013/jul/25/work-karnaphuli-tunnel-begin-fy-minister . live .
  8. News: Karnaphuli tunnel construction to start this fiscal . The Daily Star . 5 August 2013 . 27 July 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130727063908/http://www.thedailystar.net/beta2/news/karnaphuli-tunnel-construction-to-start-this-fiscal/ . live .
  9. Web site: 24 February 2019 . PM launches mining work of Karnaphuli Tunnel in Chittagong . 8 August 2020 . Dhaka Tribune . 6 November 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191106143605/http://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/nation/2019/02/24/pm-launches-mining-work-of-karnaphuli-tunnel-in-chittagong . live .
  10. Web site: জনকণ্ঠ . দৈনিক . কর্ণফুলীর তলদেশ ফুঁড়ে এগোচ্ছে বঙ্গবন্ধু টানেল অগ্রগতি ৫০ ভাগ . 22 January 2023 . দৈনিক জনকণ্ঠ Daily Janakantha . bn . 22 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230122062208/https://www.dailyjanakantha.com/national/news/470886 . live .
  11. Web site: 2 January 2023 . Bangabandhu Tunnel: Tolls await final approval, 95% of work complete . 22 January 2023 . Dhaka Tribune . en . 22 January 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230122062209/https://www.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2023/01/02/bangabandhu-tunnel-tolls-await-final-approval-95-of-work-complete . live .
  12. Web site: Bangabandhu Tunnel opens today . 28 October 2023 . businesspostbd.com . en . 28 October 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231028082338/https://businesspostbd.com/national/bangabandhu-tunnel-opens-saturday . live .
  13. Web site: 9 September 2022 . Bangabandhu Tunnel work almost done . 15 March 2024 . Bangladesh Post . en.
  14. News: কেন প্রতিদিন লাখ লাখ টাকা লোকসানে হাজার কোটি টাকার কর্ণফুলী টানেল?. BBC Bangla. bn. November 2, 2024.
  15. News: কর্ণফুলী টানেল: বাজে পরিকল্পনার সর্বোত্তম উদাহরণ. The Daily Star. bn. November 2, 2024.
  16. Web site: 13 October 2023 . Karnaphuli tunnel buzzing with last minute activities ahead of inauguration . Dhaka Tribune.
  17. Web site: 2 November 2023 . Case filed against reckless racers in Bangabandhu tunnel . 15 March 2024 . Business Standard . en.

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