Kalurghat-Chaktai Marine Drive Set to Open to All Vehicles by December

The long-awaited Kalurghat-Chaktai four-lane Marine Drive in Chattogram is expected to open to all types of vehicles by December, according to the Chattogram Development Authority (CDA).

Around 92 percent of the 9.5-kilometre project has already been completed, with the remaining work expected to finish by December, CDA Project Director Engineer Rajib Das said.

The embankment-cum-marine drive along the western bank of the Karnaphuli River is being built at a cost of Tk 2,275 crore. About 10 kilometres of the planned stretch has been completed, while land acquisition is ongoing near the Kalurghat Bridge area.

A four-kilometre walkway from Kalpolok in Chaktai to Bolirhat has already been completed. The CDA also plans to develop a five-kilometre riverside tourist zone in Bakalia, featuring walkways, restaurants and entertainment facilities for children.

The 80-foot-wide, four-lane road will stand 24.5 feet above sea level and includes 12 high-tide protection regulators and pump houses to improve rainwater drainage.

Construction began in June 2019, and the government later extended the project deadline to June 2026.