CHATTOGRAM, Dec 6: Bangladesh Railway (BR) is going to appoint a consultant for construction of a Tk 11,560.77 crore new rail-cum-road bridge project over the Karnaphuli River at Kalurghat by June next.
The Project Director (PD) is expected to be appointed in February.
The Development of Project Proposal (DPP) is expected to be prepared in February in 2026 next.
The construction works may begin at the beginning of 2027 while it will be completed by December in 2030.
"Tender for appointment of a Consultant for the project will be floated in the current month,' said Engineer Gulam Mustafa, focal person of the project.
He said that the procedure for the appointment of Consultant would be completed by June next.
Meanwhile the government has taken the project beside the existing old bridge to ensure smooth and uninterrupted communication system between Chattogram and Cox's Bazar.
The main project operations include construction of 700 meter rail-cum-road bridge, construction of 6.20 kilometer viaduct, 2.40 kilometer road viaduct, 4.54 kilometer embankments, erection of 11.44 kilometer rail track and ancillary works.
The process for construction of the bridge has been progressed with the signing of a loan agreement with Export-Import Bank of Korea (EXIM) on June 27 last.
The rail-road bridge over the Karnaphuli River will serve as the sole dual-purpose bridge between Chattogram Port and industrial zone upon completion.
This is expected to significantly reduce logistics costs, revitalize trade, and consequently contribute substantially to Bangladesh's economic growth.
With a total project cost of $1.24 billion, the project will receive $0.43 billion in funding from the Bangladeshi government, with the remaining $0.81 billion provided by EDCF and EDPF of South Korea. Notably, this project marks the largest-ever (EDCF) supported endeavour and the first instance of combined financing from Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) and Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDPF) in Bangladesh.
Earlier, EDCF of Korea had appointed a Korean Consultant Yooshin Engineering Corporation who had completed the DPP. The same consultant also submitted the feasibility study report to the Bangladesh Railway earlier.
The sources said, the Consultant of Korean Company Yooshin Engineering Corporation began the feasibility study in December in 2021 last. According to the DPP, the construction of the bridge was supposed to begin from January last which will be concluded on June 2030 next, Railway sources said.
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, ECNEC approved a Taka 11,560.77 crore new rail-cum-road bridge project over the River Karnaphuli at Kalurghat on October 7 last.
Out of the total project cost of Taka 11,560.77 crore, Taka 4,435.62 crore will come from the government of Bangladesh while the rest of Taka 7,125.15 crore will come from the Economic Development Cooperation Fund (EDCF) and Economic Development Promotion Facility (EDPF), Korea.
