Karnaphuli Tunnel expenditures double its revenue: Minister

The monthly expenditure on the operation and maintenance of the Karnaphuli Tunnel is almost double the revenue received from tolls, said Road Transport, Bridges and Railways Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam.

During the question and answer session of the Parliament session, he said that on average, the tunnel generates income from tolls of Tk 3.37 crore per month, while the expenditure on operation and maintenance is Tk 6.95 crore on Monday.

The minister mentioned that the expenditure on the tunnel is so high due to round-the-clock power supply, lighting, ventilation system, fire extinguishing system, CCTV and traffic management.

He said, "After the inauguration of the tunnel, the daily expenditure on operation and maintenance was about Tk 3.7 lakh. With the government's frugal policy and the initiative of the bridge authority, it has now been reduced to Tk 22 to 23 lakh daily by reducing unnecessary expenses. At the same time, the government has taken various steps to make the tunnel profitable.’

In response to another question, the Road Transport Minister said, ‘There is a plan to launch the country's first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) on a 20.5-kilometer corridor from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Shibbari in Gazipur to resolve traffic congestion. The government is considering how to further improve the project and ensure maximum benefit to the people.’

The minister also said that GPS devices will be installed in all public transport to prevent reckless driving and chaos and ensure road safety. As a result, it will be possible to take legal action against drivers and owners of vehicles exceeding the prescribed speed limit, he mentioned.

Stating that the feasibility study for the construction of the second Jamuna Bridge is underway and discussions with the selected consulting firm have been completed, the minister said that an agreement in this regard will be signed soon.

In response to a question, Rabiul Alam said, ‘Three possible routes are under consideration for the second Jamuna Bridge. These are—from Sariakandi in Bogura to Madarganj in Jamalpur, from Balasi in Gaibandha to Dewanganj in Jamalpur or another alternative corridor.’

In addition, a pilot project has been taken up with the assistance of BUET to install automatic barriers at three level crossings of Dhaka Railway, the Railway Minister said.

He said, ‘Based on the results of this project, similar systems will be introduced at other approved level crossings. There are also plans to install cameras and smart gate systems at important level crossings in the future.’