Mainland jetty for Ctg-Sandwip ferry route to get Tk136cr renovation

Highlights

• Banshbaria jetty approved for Tk136 crore renovation and strengthening.
• Jetty suffered severe tide damage within a month of inauguration.
• New project targets safer, uninterrupted Sandwip ferry services.
• Repairs cover high-water and winter low-water jetties.
• Ramps and uneven levels will be fixed for safer loading.
• Earlier Tk558 crore proposal lost several major components.

A Tk136 crore project has been approved to strengthen and renovate the Banshbaria jetty in Chattogram's Sitakunda – the primary mainland terminal for the Sandwip ferry route – just 17 months after tide damage disrupted safer travel for islanders.

The jetty, which was inaugurated on 24 March last year, was severely damaged within a month of opening due to strong ocean tides, according to Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) Chattogram.

The newly approved project aims to address the infrastructure problems and ensure an uninterrupted and safe ferry service.

However, several components of a previously proposed Tk558 crore project, including a 5.5-kilometre superstructure, were not approved. As a result, only the most essential modernisation and renovation works have been included in the newly approved project.

The project was approved on Wednesday at an Ecnec meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the NEC Conference Room at the Planning Commission.

Engineers said the project will cover sustainable renovation of both the damaged high-water jetty and the low-water jetty used during winter.

It will also address problems with ramps and uneven levels that create risks during the loading and unloading of vehicles onto ferries.

BWDB Chattogram-2 Executive Director Tanjir Saif Ahmed said the jetty was inaugurated in response to the urgent need for a faster connection between Sandwip and the mainland.
"However, in the month following the inauguration, the jetty was severely damaged due to the pressure of strong ocean tides," he told TBS.

He said the damage was mainly caused by the inability to fully complete the necessary feasibility study and detailed engineering design before the previous construction.
As the priority was to restore communication quickly, long-term technical protection was overlooked.

"After receiving responsibility this time, engineers have prepared a new design for the jetty by properly following all rules, standard feasibility studies, and necessary engineering processes," he said.

"Once the renovation and strengthening work is completed according to the new design, it will ensure that the jetty is not damaged again in the future under the pressure of turbulent tides or waves of the Bay of Bengal."

The Banshbaria-Sandwip ferry service was launched to connect nearly four lakh residents of Sandwip with the mainland.

However, the service has faced operational problems linked to severe tides, lack of environmental clearance, irregular dredging and rapid siltation in the channel.

Officials and locals hope the newly approved project will address the jetty's main infrastructure problems and improve the safety and reliability of the ferry service.