Kalurghat Bridge will be ready for Cox’s Bazar bound trains in Sept

The nearly century-old Kalurghat Bridge over the River Karnaphuli in Chattogram will be ready by 15 September for the plying of trains on Dohazari-Cox's Bazar line, said Railways Secretary Dr Md Humayun Kabir.

The renovation of the Kalurghat Bridge will begin in June and is expected to be finished in December. Two ferries will be operated on the river as an alternative to the bridge during the repair works, he said at a view-exchange meeting on renovating the dilapidated bridge at the Chattogram Circuit House on Saturday.

A walkway will also be constructed on the bridge for people's movement, informed Humayun.

Officials of the Bangladesh Railway (BR), the Road and Highways Department (RHD), the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC), the Bangladesh Power Development Board (BPDB), and local representatives spoke at the meeting moderated by Chattogram Deputy Commissioner Abul Bashar Mohammed Fakhruzzaman.

Established in 1931, the 90-year-old Kalurghat Bridge is currently capable of carrying 10 tonnes.

During an assessment carried out by a consultant team of the Bangladesh University of Engineering (Buet), 8 out of the 19 main spans of the bridge were found in severely battered condition.

"We have taken all possible steps to repair the bridge at the earliest. Trains bound for Cox's Bazar will run through it… The bridge will remain closed during the renovation works," said the railways secretary.

The Kalurghat Bridge, which is the main means of commuting for around 3 lakh people of Boalkhali Upazila, appeared as a major obstacle when the government initiated the Chattogram-Cox's Bazar rail link. At first, the government decided to build a new road-cum-rail bridge over the River Karnaphuli at the Kalurghat point, and later opted for renovating the existing bridge.

However, a letter will be sent to the RHD asking for approval of four ferries as an alternative to the bridge to ensure smooth commuting during the renovation works, said Humayun Kabir.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has finalised the design of a new bridge over the river, he informed.

Additional Commissioner of the Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) ASM Mahtab Uddin, Chattogram District Railway Superintendent of Police (SP) Mohammad Hasan Chowdhury, BR East Zone General Manager Md Jahangir Alam, Sub-Divisional Engineer of Chattogram RHD Rokon Uddin Khaled Chowdhury, BPDB Executive Engineer Shuvashis Chakraborty, BIWTC Deputy General Manager Gopal Chandra Majumdar, BIWTA Joint Director Sabur Khan, Boalkhali Upazila Chairman Rezaul Karim, among others, participated in the view-exchange meeting.