Bangladesh Railway appointed Max Infrastructure Limited as the contractor

The renovation work of the aging Kalurghat Bridge in Chittagong is likely to be completed in eight months, an official has said.

Bangladesh Railway appointed Max Infrastructure Limited as the contractor for the renovation of the bridge on Sunday.

Following a tender process, Max Infrastructure Limited was selected as the lowest bidder and signed the contract with the Bangladesh Railway (East Zone).

Md Abu Zafar Mia, chief engineer of Bangladesh Railway (East Zone) said that the agreement with Max Infrastructure Limited entails the renovation of the bridge within the next 8 months. 

The contractor will prioritize the repair of the bridge span and railway track to establish a direct rail link to Cox's Bazar by September. Concurrently, the company will complete other works such as the road for vehicles and walkways within the stipulated time.

The project, valued at Tk43 crore, aims to make the bridge suitable for heavy trains and vehicles.

However, due to the impending inauguration of the Dhaka-Cox's Bazar train service in September, the contractor will be granted an additional 3 months to prioritize the renovation of the main structure of the bridge.

The deadline for the railway connection project to the renowned tourist city of Cox's Bazar is approaching in December this year. 

Despite the project being at 85% completion and the Railway Minister Nurul Islam Sujan announcing the inauguration of the train service in September, certain challenges have emerged. 

Approximately 20 km of track still needs to be laid, and 15% of the project still needs to be completed, hindering the timely launch of the train service. 

Furthermore, the outdated Kalurghat bridge posed a significant obstacle to establishing a direct train link to Cox's Bazar.

In order to tackle the delay in constructing a new bridge to replace the aging Kalurghat bridge, the Bangladesh Railway sought the assistance of a team of professors from the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) as consultants. 

Following their guidance, a proposal was put forth, suggesting a renovation cost of at least Tk60 crore, which would enable heavy trains to continue using the existing bridge until the construction of the new bridge is completed.

Initially, the Bangladesh Railway had planned to suspend train and vehicle traffic through the Kalurghat Bridge in June for repairs. 

However, due to the delayed contract signing and the upcoming Eid al-Azha, the closure has been postponed. 

The contractor has already begun installing ancillary equipment in the bridge area and, after Eid, the main repair work will commence.

Meanwhile, the Roads and Highways Department has constructed a ferry jetty adjacent to the Karnaphuli River bridge to provide an alternative.

Meanwhile, the construction of the new bridge to replace the aging Kalurghat bridge has faced numerous complications. Issues include locals demanding a road-cum-rail bridge, objections from the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) regarding the bridge's height, delays in obtaining consent from foreign lenders, two-phase feasibility studies, and design changes. 

Additionally, there have been allegations of shortsightedness within the railway's engineering and planning department. 

Bangladesh Railway estimates that constructing a new bridge will take at least seven to eight years, potentially disrupting train movement to Cox's Bazar from various parts of the country.