CHITTAGONG: Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said the ‘physical work’ of the tunnel under the Karnaphuli River will start in December this year.

The minister came up with this assertion while talking to reporters after visiting the project area in front of port city’s Neval Academy area on Monday.

An accord will be signed to appoint a consulting firm for design in detail, cost estimation and supervision by June, the minister added.

After signing contract, the appointed consulting firm will submit design of the construction of the multilane tunnel under the river Karnaphuli, Obaidul added.

He further said authorities concerned will finalize the design of the tunnel submitted by consulting firm.

Citing that a new town will be bulit on another bank of the river, the minister said the construction work of the 3.5-mile-long tunnel will be completed within four years.

Hill Tracks Chittagong Affairs State Minister Bir Bahadur, Members of Parliament MA Latif and Shamsul Haq Chowdhury and senior officers of the Road Transport and Bridges Ministry were present during the visit.

The multi-lane tunnel route would pass through the river close to Navy College on one side and Korean Export Processing Zone (KEPZ) and Karnaphuli Fertiliser Company (KAFCO) on the other, said sounces concerned.

BDST: 1414 HRS, MAR 30, 2015