Ctg mayor unveils Tk3,549cr masterplan to end waterlogging, turn canals into tourist hubs

Chattogram City Corporation has proposed a Tk3,549 crore megaproject to dredge and restore 21 canals across the city, aiming to resolve chronic waterlogging and revive natural water flow.

Mayor Shahadat Hossain unveiled the plan at a discussion on the project's development project proposal (DPP), titled 'Restoring Chattagram's Lifelines', held at the city corporation office today (10 June).

Mayor Shahadat said the scope should be expanded beyond the initial 21 canals to cover 40-50 waterways, including neglected and dying smaller canals.

Survey data presented at the event showed that 0.8 to 1.5 metres of silt has accumulated at the bottom of the city's canals, reducing their drainage capacity by around 40% and causing prolonged waterlogging across approximately 320 hectares during the monsoon season. 

The city incurs roughly Tk65 crore in annual economic losses due to the resulting damage to business and infrastructure, said the mayor.

According to the mayor, if successfully implemented, the project would restore the drainage system to 90% of its designed capacity, reduce silt depth to below 0.2 metres, and shrink the waterlogged area from 320 hectares to under 45 hectares — yielding annual economic benefits of around Tk185 crore.

Of the total outlay, Tk2,578 crore is earmarked for physical infrastructure across the 21 canals, with the remainder allocated for land acquisition, pump stations, tidal regulators, utility relocation, and contingency costs.

The mayor also unveiled plans to introduce boating tourism and floating markets — modelled on Thailand — on at least three to four canals, keeping them active and encroachment-free while boosting trade and tourism. 

He said the network would be linked with the marine drive from Kalurghat to the Karnaphuli river to create an integrated tourism zone, and called on city corporation's engineering department and all relevant agencies to think innovatively.