Tk 336cr road project to boost use of Karnaphuli Tunnel

A 17-kilometre road between Anwara and Chandanaish in Chattogram is being widened at a cost of Tk 336 crore to increase traffic through the Karnaphuli Tunnel and reduce its losses.

The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) expects the improved road to make direct travel from Chattogram to Cox’s Bazar easier by reducing travel time and distance, potentially increasing the tunnel’s revenue.

Opened to traffic on October 29, 2023, the Karnaphuli Tunnel has failed to attract the expected volume of vehicles. According to the latest figures, the tunnel collects an average of Tk 3.37 crore in tolls per month, while its operation and maintenance costs Tk 6.95 crore, resulting in an average monthly deficit of around Tk 3.58 crore.

Built at a cost of around Tk 10,689 crore, the country’s only underwater tunnel has a main length of 3.32 kilometres. The Bangladesh Bridge Authority implemented the project with financing from the Chinese government and Bangladesh. Of the total cost, Tk 6,070 crore was borrowed from China’s Exim Bank.

RHD officials said the tunnel’s use remains low partly because the roads connected to it are not suitable for long-distance traffic. Currently, vehicles heading to Cox’s Bazar via the tunnel have to travel from Anwara to Patiya Crossing to join the highway.

To address the problem, an alternative road from Gachhbariya College Gate in Chandanaish to Kalabibir Dighi intersection in Anwara is being developed.

The ‘Tunnel Connecting to Gachhbariya Road Development Project’ has already been approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec). Of the project cost, Tk 182 crore will be spent on the Anwara-Kalabibir Dighi to Barkal Bridge section, while Tk 144 crore will be spent on the Barkal Bridge-Gachhbariya College Gate section. The tender processes for both sections have also been completed.

Pintu Chakma, executive engineer of RHD Chattogram South, said the new road would directly connect with the Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar highway and reduce travel time to Cox’s Bazar by around 30 minutes.

“We expect vehicle movement through the tunnel to increase once the road is completed,” he said.

The road widening work is expected to be completed within two years after the contractor begins work.

Under the project, around 10.2 kilometres of the Barkal Bridge-Gachhbariya section will be widened from 18 feet to 34 feet, with the road width reaching 10.3 metres. The project also includes straightening sections with sharp bends, constructing RCC rigid pavement and drainage facilities in market areas, and building nine bridges and culverts.

Officials expect the improved road to increase traffic through the tunnel while creating new opportunities for trade, industry and employment in Anwara and Chandanaish.

Former general secretary of Chandanaish upazila BNP MA Hashem Raju said the tunnel, six-lane connecting road and new network towards Cox’s Bazar could create new opportunities for industrial and commercial development in southern Chattogram.