At least 65 percent construction works of 8.5km long Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) embankment-cum- marine drive road at a cost of TK 2279 crore have been completed so far till today.
Rajib Das, Project Director (PD) of Chaktai to Kalurghat Bridge Marine Drive Project on the west bank of Karnaphuli River, said the construction works of the seven- kilometre out of 8.5-kilometre of the project have been progressing fast as the land acquisition activities have been completed from the area.
The construction and land acquisition activities of the rest 1.50 km from Kalurghat Industrial area to Kalurghat Railway bridge will be started from next month as all kinds of obstacles have already been removed, he added.
The PD said, at least 81 percent construction works of 12 high-tide protection regulators and pump-houses are being installed at the mouths of 12 canals to quick dispose up the rain water from the city area have been completed till today.
He hoped that the construction works of 12 high-tide protection regulators and pump-houses will be completed by October next.
PD Rajib said the construction works of eleven more sluice gates, erected at the estuary of 11 canals of the city under this project will be completed by March next year.
Meanwhile, the schedule time for completion of the project was extended for two years more. Earlier, the schedule time for completion of the project was June 2022. Presently, it has been extended up to June 2024.
Rajib informed that if the CDA marine drive is constructed, the vehicles bound for north and northeastern region of Chattogram from the southeast will directly reach Kaptai, Rangunia and Boalkhali upazilas of the district without entering the city.
The embankment-cum-road will be a four-lane one and its height will be 24.5 feet above from the sea level and 80 feet wide as per the guidelines of Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) and survey of the Chattogram Metropolitan Master Plan of 1995.
The construction works of the Chaktai to Kalurghat bridge marine drive project was inaugurated in June 2019 last with the construction of a sluice gate at the estuary of Chaktai canal.
The project was approved in the meeting of the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) on April 25 in 2017.
Source: Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha