Second City Outer Ring Road Ready, Opening a New Horizon Along the Karnaphuli River
Construction of the second City Outer Ring Road project in Chattogram is almost at its final stage. Only 200 metres of work remain on the road and embankment at the Baklia College and Kalurghat sections. Once this work is done, preparations are on to open it to traffic. The Chattogram Development Authority, CDA, is carrying out the project.
It aims to ease the growing traffic jam in the city, improve communication, control waterlogging, and build a new urban life along the Karnaphuli river. The mega project costs Tk 2,779 crore. It has a 9 kilometre road and city protection embankment. The embankment has 12 modern sluice gates, including a boat pass. The road has a walkway about 7 kilometres long.
Once the road opens, people can reach the Karnaphuli Bridge from Kalurghat in only 10 minutes. A huge area of the city, including Baklia and Chandgaon, will be free from the curse of waterlogging. Housing, industry and tourism along the river will get a new dimension. Those involved hope the mega project will open a new horizon on the bank of the Karnaphuli.
Earlier, the first City Outer Ring Road was opened. It runs about 17 kilometres from Patenga Sea Beach through Sagorika to Fouzderhat. It was built at a cost of about Tk 2,675 crore. The road links the Chattogram Port, Shah Amanat Airport and the Karnaphuli Tunnel, and connects the city and South Chattogram with the Dhaka Chattogram highway, known as the lifeline of the country. Great chances for housing and tourism have appeared around this seaside road.
The road and embankment from the Karnaphuli Shah Amanat Bridge to Kalurghat is known as Chattogram Outer Ring Road Project 2. This project was meant to take only three years. But because of many complications, the work was not finished on time. Project cost and time were raised again and again. The project period began counting from July 2017. But work started in October 2018.
The original approved cost was Tk 2,275 crore 52 lakh. After the first and second revisions raised the cost, the latest cost stands at Tk 2,779 crore 39 lakh 47 thousand. Those involved say the road is being built to protect important areas of Chattogram from flood and tidal surge. These include Chaktai, Khatunganj, Boxirhat, greater Baklia, Chandgaon and the Kalurghat heavy industrial area. It will also connect the city with the Dhaka Chattogram and Chattogram Cox’s Bazar highways.
They say the city protection embankment will play an important role in speeding up traffic, improving life in backward areas, tourism, housing and other fields. Project Director Engineer Mr. Rajib Das told Inqilab yesterday that 98 percent of the whole project is done. About 200 metres of road work is still going on, some near Baklia College at the Karnaphuli Bridge end and some in the Kalurghat part. A pond is being filled in the college area. In Kalurghat, the process of evicting a few households and paying compensation is under way.
He said the road will open to traffic once the work in those two parts ends soon. The 9 kilometre road work is almost done, and the road has already been carpeted. The 4 lane road and city protection embankment stands 30 feet above sea level. It has 12 sluice gates to drain the city’s rainwater in the monsoon. A pump is also being fitted for each sluice gate.
There are riverside recreation structures and a walkway about 7 kilometres long. The blocks on the riverbank have seating for people. The project has created an open public space along the Karnaphuli. City people can walk, relax and enjoy the beauty of the river there. Even though the project is not yet open, thousands of people gather there every day, especially on holiday afternoons. People rush to the riverbank with their family members.
Those involved say this area may become one of the most attractive tourist spots of Chattogram in future, like Patenga Sea Beach. Once the road opens, communication in the south and east of the city will change greatly. The project has already begun to show positive effects. Land prices in the area have gone up because road links have improved. Housing, trade and tourism are growing around the Karnaphuli river. The look of Baklia, Chandgaon and Mohra is changing.
