The complex work of the junction is also nearing completion

Two of the three junctions have been completed. Engineers associated with the project said it may take 7 to 10 days to complete the excavation of the rest. The construction of three crossings will complete the most complex work of the tunnel.

When asked what purpose the link will be used for, the officials related to the project said that if an accident occurs inside a tunnel for some reason, then people will be brought to another tunnel through this link.

According to project information, the length of the main tunnel is 3.32 km. The length of each tunnel is 2.45 km. The length of the first junction between the two tunnels is 12.14 meters, the length of the second or intermediate junction is 12.34 meters and the length of the last is 10.74 meters. Each has an average diameter of four and a half meters.

Two tunnels were excavated with Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs). The project director mentioned the excavation of three junctions or cross passages between the two tunnels as the most complicated and risky. Harunur Rashid Chowdhury. He told that the tubes (tunnels) were dug with TBM. But digging cross passages with TBM is not possible. There are three steps in digging them. First you have to make a hole. Then it needs to be cooled (freezing) with chemicals through pipes. Then cut and dig. It takes a lot of time.

The country's first tunnel has been named after Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman.

As of September 12, the construction of this tunnel has been completed 91 percent. Among them, civil engineering (tunnel digging, road construction, junctions etc.) work is almost at the final stage. Electrical and mechanical works are now in full swing. These include installation of lights inside the tunnel, installation of fireproof board or plate, installation of decoration plate, electricity supply system, installation of pump, ventilation system for air movement inside the tunnel, drainage system etc. Bangladesh Bridge Authority is implementing this project.

According to various levels of government, one tunnel of the tunnel will be opened for traffic in October. The other will be launched in November. If you want to know about this, the project director said. Harunur Rashid Chowdhury told that there are three types of work in the tunnel. These are Civil Engineering, Electrical and Mechanical. After the completion of these three phases, the trial or experimental vehicles will run together.

New problems or complications may come out after giving a trial. It is not known in advance what the problem may be. So it is not possible for him to say when it will be launched or opened. He said, the duration of the project is till December. This will include maximum effort to complete the work.

According to project sources, there will be a 5.35 km connecting road on the western and eastern ends of the main tunnel. And there is a 727 meter long runway at the Anwara end. A tunnel has been made at a depth of 18 to 36 meters through the bottom of Karnaphuli river. Each is 35 feet wide and 16 feet high. 10 thousand 374 crore rupees are being spent on the construction of the tunnel.

According to the latest August progress report, the excavation of two tunnels of the main tunnel has already been completed. Casting of lane slabs of 2,450 meters long first tunnel (Patenga to Anwaramukhi) has been completed. 76 percent of pavement slab construction has been completed.

And the casting of the lane slab of the second tunnel (from Anwara to Patengamukhi) has also been completed. And 93 percent of the pavement slab work has been completed. Apart from this, fireproof boards are being installed inside the two tunnels and shelters are being installed in open areas to protect them from rain.

Meanwhile, the 727 meter long flyover has been completed at the Anwara end. The construction of 5.35 km connecting road is going on at both ends of the tunnel. The monthly construction activity target for August was 2.16 percent. In contrast, implementation progress has been 2 percent.

Two bridges have been constructed on Karnaphuli river in the urban area. But it is not enough to handle the traffic pressure. For this, the initiative to construct the tunnel was taken, the contract was signed on November 24, 2015. Earlier in 2014, Bangladesh and China signed a memorandum of understanding for the implementation of the project.

Then the Chinese company China Communication and Construction Company (CCCC) Limited was nominated for the construction of the tunnel. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the construction of the tunnel on February 24, 2019.

People related to the project said that when the traffic through the tunnel starts, the vehicles coming from different parts of the country including Dhaka and going to Cox's Bazar and South Chittagong will not have to enter Chittagong city anymore. City Outer Ring Road can reach the destination in the fastest time through the tunnel. This will reduce traffic pressure in Chittagong city.

By: Mohtasim Fuad

Advertisement