CHATTOGRAM, Apr 30: The delay in approval of the Development of Project Proposal (DPP) by the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) for the construction of Kalurghat Bridge, which is estimated to cost around Tk 12,000 crore, is delaying the start of the construction works.
According to Bangladesh Railway sources, the appointed Korean Consultant Yooshin Engineering Corporation has completed the DPP. The same consultant also submitted the feasibility study report to the Bangladesh Railway earlier.
According to the DPP, the construction of the bridge was supposed to begin from January last which will be concluded on June 2028 next, Railway sources said.
But strangely, DPP has not yet been approved. After the ECNEC approval, Bangladesh government will go to sign an agreement with the Korean financer Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) for construction of the bridge.
Economic Relations Division of Finance Ministry sources said, as soon as the DPP is approved, we shall go for signing agreeement with the EDCF of Korea.
The EDCF will provide Tk 8,000 crore for construction of the bridge while the government will provide Tk 4,000 crore.
The demand for the construction of Kalurghat Bridge over the Karnaphuli River has been going on for many years. People used to cross the river through a dilapidated nine-decade-old bridge. As the bridge is under renovation for the last six months, they have to cross the river by ferries.
As per fresh DPP, the Kalurghat Bridge will be constructed a four-lane one with single deck.
Vehicular traffic movement will continue in two-lane road while the Railway movement in the next two-lane road of the bridge.
Railway sources said, the government has undertaken the project to construct a bridge across river Karnaphuli at Kalurghat point in order to facilitate the communication with Myanmar through Chattogram-Gundum Railway line.
Meanwhile, the existing Kalurghat Railway Bridge an old bridge, once the only link between the southern region of Chattogram division on the bank of the river Karnaphuly with the rest of the country has now been dilapidated condition. This 239m long bridge was installed as a simple rail bridge of steel structure between Janalihut and Gomdandi railway stations in 1930. The bridge was commissioned for operation of trains in Chattogram-Dohazari section in the year 1931.
Thirty-one years after its inauguration, considering the suffering of the people it was modified with decking and carpeting and turned into a rail and road-bridge in 1962.
This is now in dilapidated condition. The vehicles including the train are moving at great risk over this old bridge.
Meanwhile, new rail-plus-road bridge is going to cost almost 12 times the initial estimate because the authorities spent nine years doing multiple feasibility studies and designing and redesigning the bridge.
The bridge is going to cost about Tk 12,000 crore and South Korea gave consent for a loan.
Meanwhile, Gulam Mustafa, Project Director hoped that the DPP may be approved by the ECNEC in May.
Anwar Hussain, Additional Secretary of the ERD told the Daily Observer, "If the DPP is approved by the ECNEC in May, we shall go to signing the agreement with EDCF in June next."
