CHATTOGRAM, Feb 23: The deadline for completion of the construction of the 9.5 km long Kalurghat to Chaktai 4-lane Marine drive has been extended to June 2025.
Earlier the cost of the project had been enhanced to Tk 2,779 crore with the approval of Tk 881 crore additional cost by the Cabinet Committee on Government Purchase (CCGP) recently.
According to Chattogram Development Authority (CDA), CCGP approved additional cost of Tk 881.24 crore in June last year.
Earlier, the estimated cost of the project was Tk 1,898 crore.
Project Director Engr Rajib Das, told the Daily Observer the total cost of Tk 2,779 crore include Tk 1,900 crore for construction works of the Marine Drive and the rest Tk 879 crore for acquisition of land for the project.
Earlier the scheduled time for the projects completion had also been extended for one more year, from June 2023 to June 2024, he said.
Currently it has been extended to June 2025, he said.
He said, nearly 67 per cent works of the Marine Drive have so far been completed.
The project is expected to be completed by June next year, said Rajib Das.
He also said CDA is going to set up a tourist zone in a 5km area of Karnaphuli riverbank in the Bakalia area of the port city, with an aim to develop Chattogram as a tourist city under a project, titled, "Construction of Road on the bank of River Karnaphuli from Kalurghat Bridge to Chaktai Khal (canal)".
Under the project, a walkway will be constructed over an area of 5km from Shah Amanat Bridge to Bolirhat. They will also construct a tourist-friendly restaurant with entertainment facilities for children.
The construction works of the 9.5 km long project was inaugurated in June 2019 with the construction of a sluice gate at the estuary of Chaktai Canal.
Under the project, the CDA is constructing a 9.5km road and embankment on the bank of the river Karnaphuli and 12 regulators at the 12 canals tidal mouths.
CDA sources said construction works of 8km long embankment have already been completed. But the land of more 1.50km from Kalurghat Industrial area to the Railway Bridge have been acquired.
CDA has already paid the cost of the acquired land to the owners. So, construction works in this land have been progressing fast, the Project Director claimed.
The embankment-cum-road will be a four-lane one and its height will be 24 feet above from the sea level and 80 feet in width as per the guidelines of Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and survey of the Chattogram Metropolitan Master Plan of 1995.
A total of 12 high-tide protection regulators and pump-houses will also be installed at the mouths of 12 canals to quickly remove rain water from the city area.
Rajib Das claimed that 11 regulators and pump houses had already been completed. He informed that if the CDA Marine Drive is constructed, the vehicles bound for north and Northeastern region of Chattogram from the Southeast will directly reach Kaptai, Rangunia and Boalkhali upazilas of the district without entering the city.
The embankment-cum-road will be a four-lane one and its height will be 24.5 feet above from the sea level and 80 feet wide as per the guidelines of JBIC and survey of the Chattogram Metropolitan Master Plan-1995.
The construction works of the Chaktai to Kalurghat Bridge Marine Drive Project was inaugurated in June in 2019 with the construction of a sluice gate at the estuary of Chaktai Canal.
The project was approved in the meeting of the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) on April 25 in 2017.
