China exports largest tunnelling machine to Bangladesh

Beijing March 13 (IANS) A Chinese firm on Tuesday rolled out China s largest shield tunnelling machine for export which is destined for Bangladesh to assist with a river tunnelling project.

The export of the machine produced by Tianhe Mechanical Equipment Manufacturing Co. Ltd. based in Jiangsu province will break the monopoly of ultra-large tunnelling equipment by developed countries according to Zhou Jun Chief Engineer with the Chinese firm.

The machine with a diameter of 12.12 metres weighs 2 200 tonnes. It will be used for opening a 3 500-metre road tunnel under Karnaphuli River reports Xinhua news agency.

"The tunnel construction has been a dream for Bangladesh people as we want to develop Chittagong Port as good as China s Shanghai " said Kabir Ahmed Chief Engineer of the Bangladesh Bridge Authority.

The upcoming tunnel is expected to shorten the ride between Chittagong Airport and a planned industrial park from four hours to barely 20 minutes.

--IANS
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