Construction of Karnaphuli Rail-cum-Road Bridge to begin in December

CHATTOGRAM, Jul 6: The design of the Karnaphuli Bridge at Kalurghat has been finalised after completion of the feasibility study.
A meeting of senior officials of the Bangladesh Railway at the Central Railway Building (CRB) on Wednesday discussed the final design of the proposed bridge. The meeting was attended by local MP Muslemuddin Ahmed.
The Korean company, Yooshin Engineering Corporation, carried out the feasibility study in December last year.
The final design, incorporating the increase in the height of the bridge according to a revised Development Project Proposal (RDPP) will be submitted to the ECNEC for approval soon. On getting the approval, Bangladesh Railway will begin the construction works of the bridge.
The RDPP had been prepared again due to complaint lodged by the BIWTA for increasing the height of the bridge.
The "Rail-cum-Road" third Karnaphuli Bridge at Kalurghat will be a two-tiered structure, consisting train in the lower tier while the two-lane road in the upper tier like Padma Bridge.
Muslemuddin Ahmed, MP, of Boalkhali said the design would be submitted to the Ministry for approval in August.
The Bangladesh Railway sources said the tender for the construction of the 780 metres long bridge at an estimated cost of Tk 6,341 crore would be floated within this year.
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.
The existing old Kalurghat Railway Bridge over the River Karnaphuli, once the only link between the southern region of Chattogram division with the rest of the country has now become dilapidated. The 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 a dilapidated condition. The vehicles including the train are moving at great risk over the old bridge.