'Partial planning' is holding back the full potential of our megaprojects
Stretching 3.315 kilometres beneath the Karnaphuli River, the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel is supposed to become the economic lifeline of Chattogram city. Linking crucial hubs such as Chattogram port, Anwara Industrial Zone, Matarbari Deep Sea Port, Cox's Bazar, Dhaka, and Chattogram Airport, the tunnel is one of Bangladesh's largest mega infrastructure investments in the last decade.
While the tunnel's inauguration sparked optimism, reality revealed challenges. A 2013 survey estimated the tunnel's capacity at 6.3 million vehicles annually, with a projection of 13.9 million by 2030, half of which are expected to be cargo vehicles.
The tunnel is estimated to directly contribute 0.17% each year to the country's GDP for the next 50 years. However, although the tunnel was projected to serve 27,000 vehicles daily, it only observed a mere 5,829 daily vehicles in its first one-and-a-half months.
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The reason behind this may be a critical missing piece in the integrated planning and design philosophy of the tunnel, which has manifested in potential traffic bottlenecks at both ends. This is however not an isolated case. It is a reflection of the larger malaise of 'partial' planning of megaprojects in Bangladesh.
There is a lack of integrated planning for the entire route, highlighting an institutional weakness where learning from obstacles is not practised at all. As always, planning remains a neglected area, hindering progress.
A committee formed by the Bridges Division under their jurisdiction is working to redesign the traffic management system, which prompts questions about the quality of feasibility studies and planning for national infrastructure projects.
The committee will work on the Patenga end of the tunnel to improve traffic circulation. As vehicles from multiple directions merge there - say from the city, outer ring road, and Patenga road - the traffic is quite complex. So, an interchange to streamline this traffic is being designed. But this will not involve the improvement of approach roads.
This will solve the local problem of congestion, but will not be able to transform the tunnel and the roads leading up to and from it, into an economic corridor. The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) is currently working on a project to transform the 140-kilometre 2-lane highway from Shikalbaha Y-Junction to Cox's Bazar to a four-lane one.
In my opinion, merely adding two lanes is not enough. Rather, we require a complete transformation of the road into an expressway-standard highway up to Cox's Bazar, as it will need to handle large containers from the economic zones. Also, this project is still in the planning phase. Its planning, design and implementation needs to be accelerated and simultaneously, the economic zones need to be developed too.
While talking about approach roads, two examples come to mind. The Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge and the Padma Multipurpose Bridge serve as contrasting examples, revealing the profound impact of approach road planning on socio-economic development.
The Jamuna Multipurpose Bridge, an engineering marvel built in 1998, spans the mighty river Jamuna with the promise of transformative change. However, a closer look reveals a stark problem: the approach roads are narrow on both ends and not of expressway standard. Only recently has RHD taken part in South Asia Subregional Economic Cooperation (SASEC) project-1 and project-2 to widen these roads.
Although SASEC-1 is already complete, SASEC-2 is not. Under the SASEC Project-2, six flyovers, two railway overpasses, 32 bridges, 180 culverts, 11 foot-over bridges, 39 underpasses and a modified interchange at Hatikamrul have been designed. But if the Jamuna Bridge has been open since 1998, then why do the roads on its ends need this level of modification after 25 years?
If these were included in the feasibility study, wouldn't Jamuna Bridge be able to contribute more to the GDP? The incomplete, shortsighted planning has significantly brought down the envisioned socio-economic development. Once glorified, the revolutionary potential of the Jamuna Bridge is now under question due to a lack of proper planning. Will this also be the case for the Bangabandhu Tunnel?
Contrasting this narrative is the saga of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge. Its expressways from both ends form a symphony of seamless connectivity, providing a smooth passage for travellers. The bridge stands not just as a physical structure, but as a testament to meticulous planning that ensures the full utilisation of its potential. People already relish the benefits, and the bridge serves as a model of successful integration.
This is gradually becoming an economic corridor. Enhanced connectivity through the Padma Multipurpose Bridge is set to drive economic growth in the southwestern region and boost the entire country's economy.
Projections indicate a 2.5% increase in the southwestern region's GDP and a 1.23% rise in the country's annual GDP. The bridge will reduce travel time between Dhaka and the Mongla Port, leading to increased cargo movement and easing congestion in the Chattogram Port.
Significant time savings, up to 10 hours for trucks, are expected, resulting in a 5.5% rise in the region's economic output. Improved transportation will create new business opportunities, foster the establishment of industrial units and generate employment.
The Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority's development of 17 economic zones in the region aims to accelerate industrialisation, covering all southwestern districts. This initiative is expected to lead to increased hiring, skill development, and possibly a rise in the minimum wage, ultimately improving living conditions and reducing poverty across the country. Indeed, the advantages extend beyond mere travel time reduction; they encompass a holistic socio-economic upliftment of the entire country.
Thinking about these two examples, a couple of crucial questions arise: Why were these lessons not integrated into the Bangabandhu Tunnel's planning? Was the forecast wrong, or is the forecast correct but we are going to miss out on this opportunity due to inadequate approaches?
Also, we have to keep in mind that the construction of a tunnel is like giving birth to an infrastructure in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), because it demands artificial ventilation, a constant oxygen supply, lighting and comprehensive services from the beginning.
Leaving aside the initial high cost, this makes the lifelong service and maintenance costs extremely high. Because of this, tunnels are uncommon in South Asian countries. Therefore, ensuring that annual economic returns align with expenditures is vital. As it involves substantial maintenance costs, it risks becoming a loss-making project without a high annual return.
Also, in the case of tunnels, safety takes centre stage. As it runs under a river with artificial lighting and ventilation, any type of accident can occur. If the emergency team cannot reach them quickly, this can pose a hazard. Therefore, it requires emergency preparedness for potential hazards such as floods, fires, and earthquakes.
The tragic Mont Blanc Tunnel fire in 1999 serves as a stark reminder of the importance of real, safe, and seamless connections in tunnel construction.
The absence of a four or six-lane expressway from Cox's Bazar to Chattogram poses a significant challenge. Approaches on both ends must be prioritised for the tunnel to fulfil its economic potential. Without integrated planning, it remains merely a transportation corridor rather than the envisioned economic corridor.
Also, the Chattogram port anticipates the inauguration of Cox's Bazar's Matarbari seaport in 2026. Upon reaching full operational capacity, the Matarbari seaport is poised to streamline the transportation of goods from various factories, heavy industries and economic zones, including the Mirsarai economic zone, Chattogram.
As a consequence, the associated highway is expected to experience a substantial surge in heavy vehicle traffic. In light of this, the current road infrastructure will surely face challenges in accommodating the increased flow of vehicles.
For this, the government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh has initiated a noteworthy project: a four-lane marine drive expressway spanning 170.00 km from Mirersharai (Jorarganj) to Sitakunda, Chattogram, and Cox's Bazar. But in my opinion, a fully functional six-lane highway will become necessary upon the opening of Cox's Bazar Matarbari seaport.
If the land acquisition poses challenges, a suggestion might be the development of a fully elevated, six-lane, access-controlled expressway to ensure seamless connectivity and optimise the functionality of the tunnel. Without the proper infrastructure, such as the expressways, the effectiveness of the tunnel could be severely compromised, similar to a cart placed before the horse.
The tunnel has a maximum operating speed of 80 kilometres per hour. However, if these high-speed vehicles come to a halt after crossing the tunnel, it could lead to lengthy congestion and reduce the overall efficacy of the tunnel.
The project was planned to develop the city of Chattogram in the "One City Two Towns" model like the city of Shanghai, China. But to turn this into a reality, we have to connect the towns properly.
Considering the narrow width of the Karnaphuli River, an alternative approach could have been a suspended or hanging bridge with a large span to minimise disturbance to the river. The central span of the Akashi Kaikyo Bridge in Japan, also known as the Pearl Bridge, measures 1,991 metres.
At the same time, the width of the Karnaphuli river in the tunnel area is about 700 metres. It shows that the Karnaphuli River could also possibly be traversed with a hanging bridge, showcasing a potential alternative with minimal disturbance to the water flowing underneath. And the service and maintenance costs would have also been much lower than those of a tunnel.
However, given that the tunnel has already been constructed, revisiting this debate is unnecessary. But now we have to ensure that we are maximising the benefits of the costs incurred. As a tunnel involves a high maintenance cost, if its economic return every year is not high enough, it will turn into a loss-making project. So, careful adjustments are required.
Moving forward, meticulous adjustments and an integrated approach are imperative to unlock the full potential of the Bangabandhu Tunnel and transform it into a thriving economic corridor. Without these, the Bangabandhu Tunnel risks becoming only a mere transportation corridor rather than realising its envisioned status as an economic corridor.
Integrated planning, including better land use and the establishment of a comprehensive expressway network, is essential for transforming it into a catalyst for economic growth. Without such strategic measures, the tunnel may fall short of its potential to drive socio-economic development and regional prosperity by providing uninterrupted connectivity in the Chattogram-Cox's Bazar corridor.
Dr Md Hadiuzzaman is a Professor of Civil Engineering at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET)
