Rain causes suffering for Ctg commuters
The rain also hindered the regular vehicular movement throughout the city
Heavy rain since Monday early morning flooded many places knee-to-waist-deep water in the port city Chattogram causing immense suffering for the city commuters.
The rain also hindered the regular vehicular movement throughout the city. Daily commuters, especially office-goers and students, were seen stranded due to lack of public transport and traffic gridlocks on thoroughfares amid the downpour.
City commuters went through a great deal of suffering while travelling in Bahaddarhat, Muradpur, Gate No.2 of Sholoshahar area, GEC circle, Probaratk circle, Agrabad, Halishahar, Patenga, Kattali, Bandartila, Goshaildanga, Saltgola Crossing, Chaktai, Bakalia and Chawkbazar.
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Asif Arman, a nine-grade student of Nasirabad Boys' High School was seen waiting for vehicles.
"When the roads are underwater, the rickshaw pullers demand more fare than the usual. There is not enough public transport to go to school in such days," he said helplessly.
The Patenga Met Office recorded 39.1 mm rainfall in last 24 hours till 9 am.
"The rain would continue for the next 48 hours," said Abdul Hannan, duty assistant of the Patenga Met Office.
"The maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist local cautionary signal No.3 as squally weather is likely to hit coastal Bangladesh," he added.
How long the city has to suffer?
There are allegations from the city dwellers that the Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) is not cleaning the drains regularly as the drains have become shrunken due to encroachment.
However, the CCC said it is not their duty now to clean the city drains as Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) is implementing a mega project to address the perennial water-logging of the port city.
On August 9, 2017, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved a project involving Tk5,616.50 crore to solve the problem of water-logging in the city to CDA.
The project is supposed to be completed by June 2020. But CDA has not completed more than 20 percent of the project.
"Actually, we had spent the last two years in re-drawing and designing the project. So, we will not be able to complete the project within deadline," said Ahmed Moin Uddin, project director CDA.
The project design was found flawed as the excavation of 57 canals of the city was not included. Following the concern of the planners, the CDA revised the project.
The CDA is implementing the project with the help of Bangladesh Army engineering corps. Recently they have started massive drives to evict the illegal encroachment from the city canals.
