CHATTOGRAM, Mar 13: The Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges is going to extend the deadline for building the six-lane 11.50-km Karnaphuli Tunnel connecting road by one more year until December 2025.
The previous deadline ended in December 2024.
According to sources, the Roads and Highways Department (RHD), the project implementer, recently applied to the ministry seeking one more year to accomplish the task.
After the completion of the six-lane road work, sources said, the use of the tunnel is likely to be increased.
As the Karnaphuli Tunnel is a losing concern, the ministry is working realistically to mitigate huge losses from this mega 'unrealistic' project.
"Following the appeal of RHD, the ministry concerned is going to extend the completion timeline until December 2025," said RHD executive engineer Pintu Chakma.
More than 80 per cent work on the six-lane approach road has been completed. Earlier, four lanes were opened to traffic, he added.
The ministry undertook the project with an eye to averting bottlenecks on both sides of the tunnel.
Earlier, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the project. The cabinet committee on government purchase endorsed the contractor for the connecting road on 02 December 2020.
The appointed contractor is National Development Limited, Hasan Techno Limited and Taher Brothers Limited, a joint venture.
Sources said the delay in land acquisition hampered the progress in the project. For this reason, the deadline has been extended to December 2025.
The government undertook the 15.5-km Chaturi (Choumuhuni)-CUFL-Karnaphuli Dry Dock-Fakirnirhat National Highway approach at Tk 5.84 billion.
Once the project is implemented, the road connectivity through Dhaka-Chattogram-Cox's Bazar Highway via Karnaphuli Tunnel will be fast, safe and cost-effective.
The road is not directly connected to a sectional highway. But a national highway, a regional highway and the tunnel will be linked with Chittagong seaport.
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