5,329 vehicles cross Bangabandhu Tunnel, collecting Tk12 lakh in tolls on first day
Traffic was lower than anticipated because of a strike announced by the BNP, Bangladesh Bridge Authority says
The Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel, built beneath the Karnaphuli River in Chattogram, welcomed approximately 5,329 vehicles on its first day of operation amidst the dawn-to-dusk hartal.
This monumental milestone, officially opened to traffic on Sunday, has collected Tk1,213,300 in toll fees, according to the Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA).
They said on the first day, traffic was lower than anticipated primarily because of a strike announced by the BNP. During the shutdown from 6am- 6pm, around 2,064 vehicles crossed the river, resulting in a Tk441,690 toll collection. Although the morning witnessed reduced traffic, the pressure increased considerably in the afternoon.
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It was initially projected that over 17,000 vehicles would traverse through it on a daily basis. However, due to a one-year delay in the project's completion, the initial volume of traffic was rather modest. The inadequate development of essential road infrastructure on both sides of the Karnaphuli River, where the tunnel is located, is also leading to a situation where traffic is not flowing as anticipated.
Last night, at 3 o'clock, a car hit the island of the tunnel due to excessive speed, causing damage, according to the authorities. Tunnel security personnel said they would identify the vehicle and impose penalties accordingly.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, on 28 October, inaugurated South Asia's first road tunnel at a cost of Tk10,689.71 crore. This groundbreaking project, funded through a collaboration between the Bangladesh government and China, is expected to revolutionise the communication infrastructure between Chattogram city and the southern regions of Chattogram and Cox's Bazar.
The BBA has released 14 specific guidelines for users to guarantee the tunnel's overall safety and stability. Even though the tunnel's maximum speed limit for vehicles is 80 km/h, it is imperative that no vehicle exceeds a speed of 60 km/h.
Vehicles with a height exceeding 4.9 metres from the ground are not permitted to enter. Furthermore, vehicles with wider bodies, overweight vehicles, and those exceeding standard axle loads are strictly prohibited. In addition to these regulations, the BBA instructed that all vehicles must keep their lights on at all times when entering the tunnel and refrain from overtaking.
