Fund crunch: CDA excludes 12 silt traps from Ctg waterlogging prevention project

The Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) plans to significantly reduce the number of proposed silt traps and cut back on some other work of a crucial flood control project in the port city, citing budget constraints.

This decision could impact the long-term effectiveness of the initiative and its potential impact on the navigability of the Karnaphuli and Halda rivers, according to experts.

Chattogram, a city surrounded by hills and hillocks, frequently experiences waterlogging during the monsoon due to the accumulation of silt and mud. This debris eventually flows into the Karnaphuli and Halda rivers through canals and drains. To mitigate this issue, the comprehensive flood control project initially planned for the construction of 27 silt traps. However, due to financial limitations, the CDA in early 2025 proposed project cuts that included the exclusion of 12 silt traps.

The decision to cut back on the project's scope stems from the finance ministry's request for the CDA to bear a portion of the increased project expenditure. As the CDA lacks the financial capacity, cost-cutting measures have been adopted, say officials.

CDA Chief Engineer Kazi Hasan Bin Shams told TBS, "The CDA does not have the capacity to spend Tk856 crore. Therefore, we have restructured the project and sent it to the ministry, hoping to receive the money as a government grant." 

He, however, said, "We hope the government will consider the project's importance and allocate the entire amount as a grant. If the allocation is not received, the project work will have to be curtailed."

Project undertaken without feasibility study

According to project documents, the Chattogram city waterlogging mitigation through the "Canal Re-excavation, Expansion, Renovation, and Development" project targets 36 of the city's 57 canals. It was approved in 2017 with an initial budget of Tk5,616 crore.

In 2023, the revised Development Project Proposal (DPP) saw a massive increase of Tk3,010 crore, bringing the total project cost to Tk8,626 crore. So far, 76% of the work has been completed.

CDA data shows that the government initially agreed to provide Tk1,500 crore of the increased expenditure. The remaining Tk1,500 crore was to be funded through a Tk753 crore government loan and Tk753 crore from the CDA's own funds, as per the revised project approval conditions. 

A letter from the Finance Division on 27 March stated that the government would provide an additional Tk650 crore out of the Tk1,500 crore. Of the remaining Tk856 crore, Tk103 crore would be a government loan, and the remaining Tk753 crore would need to be covered by the CDA's own funds. However, CDA officials say the organisation's income and expenditure are almost balanced, making such a significant financial outlay impossible.

According to the CDA's budget book, the primary sources of income include shop rents, interest from savings funds, building construction approval fees, plot-flat and shop transfer fees, and plot-flat sales. In the 2021-22 fiscal year, total revenue income was Tk43.19 crore, with total operating expenses at Tk37.80 crore. The estimated budget for FY24 projects revenue income of Tk59.91 crore against operating expenses of Tk52.72 crore.

Work to be excluded

The CDA's proposed cuts extend beyond just the 12 silt traps, encompassing a substantial Tk871 crore worth of work. The draft plan includes excluding Tk283.48 crore for the construction of 12 silt traps, Tk363.55 crore for constructing retaining walls in various canals, Tk158.32 crore for the expansion of roadside drains, Tk31.71 crore for cleaning and repairing existing drains, Tk19.84 crore for constructing new drains, Tk10 crore for building five-foot-wide footpaths along canal banks and Tk3.90 crore for installing streetlights.

What experts say

Experts warn that the primary cause of canal and drain infilling during the monsoon is the silt and mud runoff from the hills. Without adequate silt traps, preventing this infilling will be impossible, rendering the city unable to achieve freedom from waterlogging. Furthermore, a lack of drain renovation and new drain construction will prevent accumulated rainwater from flowing into the canals. Without retaining walls and footpaths along canal banks, these areas are likely to be re-encroached upon, constricting the canals and impeding water flow.

Architect Zareena Hossain, a CDA board member and urban planner, told TBS that the project had flaws from its inception. "The CDA doesn't have drainage experts. It initiated the project without any feasibility study. Now, 12 silt traps are being excluded from the project design. If the number is reduced from 27, there will definitely be an impact."

Impact on Karnaphuli River and port

Chattogram's drains and canals converge into the Karnaphuli and Halda rivers. During the monsoon, the influx of silt and mud from the hills leads to navigability issues in the Karnaphuli River.

According to the Chattogram Canal and River Protection Committee, approximately 10 lakh tonnes of silt enter the Karnaphuli River from Chattogram and surrounding hilly areas during the monsoon.

Commodore Mohammad Shamsit Tabreez, chief hydrographer of Chittagong Port Authority, told TBS that the accumulation of hill soil and silt creates navigability problems for the country's main seaport. This necessitates an annual expenditure of Tk150-200 crore on dredging, he said. 

Tabreez added, "Efforts are currently underway to reduce this to within Tk100 crore. If the number of silt traps in the flood control project is reduced, the silt and mud cannot be trapped effectively. In such a scenario, reducing dredging costs will become challenging.