An ambitious project undertaken by Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) to ensure uninterrupted supply of jet fuel to the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) through an underground pipeline is facing a challenge from some big projects.
Sources said Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) and Bangladesh Army are implementing these projects to establish a 100 feet wide canal along the Purbachal township and an expressway.
The BPC plans to set up a 15.5-kilometre pipeline through the corridor, they added.
The planned pipeline from Pitalganj near Kanchan Bridge to Kurmitola Aviation Depot (KAD) is also likely to suffer a blow from the mass rapid transit line-1 (MRT-1).
Sources said the MRT-1 depot has also been planned near the pumping facility designed for supply of Jet A-1.
The government took up the Tk 2.28 billion project to supply Jet A-1 (jet fuel) through an underground pipeline instead of lorries for ensuring uninterrupted and safe supply of fuels for the airport since fuel supply remained suspended for three days in 2011.
This is also a part of the proposed pipeline to be set up between Dhaka and Chittagong corridors by the BPC.
According to officials, after successful implementation, the pipeline is expected to reduce pressure on road transport significantly as BPC now operates 127 dedicated lorries every day to supply fuel to the KAD.
The demand for fuel is likely to increase several times after the launch of the Third Terminal at HSIA after 2022.
Sources said there is a dispute with Bangladesh Railway (BR) over using land for unloading of fuel. Centring the BR claim for owning the land, fuel supply to HSIA was suspended for three days in 2011.
It is alleged that the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) occupied the BR land for years.
The officials said to overcome such a situation the BPC has planned to install an eight-inch-diameter pipeline which would carry Jet A-1 underground from the depot storage after unloading it from tankers.
They said considering the challenges, the project office sat with stakeholders several times. But it has yet to solve all problems, the officials admitted.
"We are hopeful of finding an amicable solution as all are cooperative," said project director M Rezaul Huq.
He said the pipeline will run along the western bank of the Shitalakhya River and reach the Brahmankhali canal heading towards the Purbachal Expressway. It will finally cross the Purbachal canal to Kuril Biswa Road, Khilkhet and Le Meridien Hotel for KAD.
The officials, however, said considering challenges of the project, the BPC engaged Bangladesh Navy to implement the project from November last. The Navy has already completed the route and design.
