Tk8,047cr cost overrun, delays plague six major dev projects in Chattogram

Infographics: TBS

Six major development projects in Chattogram, involving nearly Tk23,000 crore, have seen prolonged delays and significant cost escalations, with progress slowed by land acquisition issues, administrative complexities and repeated revisions.

The Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) and Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) are jointly implementing these six projects, which have been ongoing for between four and nearly 15 years.

Their average progress is currently 81%. As the work could not be completed within the stipulated time, the deadlines have been extended repeatedly.

The combined initial approved cost of these projects was around Tk14,848 crore, but an additional Tk8,047 crore is now being spent beyond the original estimates.

Administrative complications, land-related disputes, environmental and engineering challenges, and delays in procuring equipment and technology have all contributed to the slow pace.

Frequent budget revisions and extensions have increased the financial burden on the projects.

Architects in Chattogram have raised concerns about the lack of transparency surrounding the delays and escalating costs.

They say time extensions alone do not explain the significant cost increases.

According to them, a forensic audit involving independent architects and experts from BUET is necessary to identify the real reasons, including whether tenders were conducted properly and why design changes were made midway.

They also argue that the development project proposals and feasibility study reports should be reviewed to determine whether the projects were planned and executed as intended.

Canal excavation project lags

The Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) began a project in 2014 to excavate a 2.9-kilometre canal from Bahaddarhat Baraipara to the Karnaphuli River to ease waterlogging.

Eleven years on, the work remains unfinished following long delays caused mainly by fund allocation and land acquisition complications.

CCC submitted the project proposal in December 2011. The project was initially approved at Tk326.84 crore with a June 2016 deadline. In 2017, the cost rose to Tk1,256 crore, and a second revision in 2022 pushed it to Tk1,362.62 crore.

Most of the increase came from land acquisition, taking the overall rise to about 304%.

The physical progress is 89%, with more than 2 kilometres excavated. The last deadline was June 2024, but the CCC has now proposed extending the tenure to June 2026.

The delay means residents are yet to see meaningful relief from waterlogging.

Project Director and CCC Supervising Engineer Md Farhadul Alam said, "Almost 90% of the project cost was spent on land acquisition. Our excavation work primarily started from 2021. About 89% of the project work is complete."

Road, infrastructure dev work slows down

Another major CCC initiative — the project to upgrade various roads and infrastructure including Airport Road — is also behind schedule. Approved in March 2022 at Tk2,490.9669 crore, its physical progress stands at 52.54%.

The project tenure was set for July 2021 to June 2024, but soil problems on several roads, severe traffic congestion and difficulties coordinating with existing utilities slowed implementation. With the deadline expiring, the tenure has been extended by two years.

The CCC originally proposed the project in 2019 with a Tk3,169.9993 crore estimate. After instructions from the project verification committee in 2020, the DPP was revised.

A further review and feasibility study reduced the cost to Tk2,499 crore in 2021. The Planning Commission later made adjustments, approving Tk2,491 crore.

Professor Md Aftabur Rahman of CUET said proper feasibility studies are key to preventing delays. "If they are done merely for documentation or talk, the delays or problems in the work will not be averted. The feasibility study contains information about what complications will arise in the project and their solutions. The concerned authority must emphasise this matter," he said.

Waterlogging mitigation, elevated expressway face delays

The CDA's largest waterlogging mitigation project — the 'Canal Re-Excavation, Expansion, Renovation and Development Project', implemented by the Bangladesh Army's 34 Engineer Construction Brigade — has also faced repeated delays.

Approved in 2017 at Tk5,616 crore to cover 36 canals, the cost has risen to Tk8,626 crore. The three-year project was supposed to finish in June 2020 but now runs until June 2026.

Physical progress is 85% and financial progress 58%. Work on 19 canals is complete and five more are nearing completion.

The project includes building 176 kilometres of retaining walls, 45 bridges, six culverts, 42 silt traps, five regulators and over 10 kilometres of new drains. Heavy monsoon siltation remains a major challenge. 

Although 27 silt traps were originally planned, 12 are being dropped as the CDA was asked to bear part of the extra cost.

Stakeholders fear this will weaken long-term effectiveness and affect the Karnaphuli's water flow and the navigability of Chattogram Port.

The Lalkhan Bazar–Airport Elevated Expressway is facing similar setbacks.

Approved in July 2017 with a Tk3,250 crore estimate and a three-year timeline, the cost has climbed to Tk4,314.85 crore after two revisions. 

The project missed its June 2022 deadline due to land acquisition complications and legal disputes.

Through three extensions, the deadline now stands at June 2026, with physical progress at 91%.

The expressway was originally designed with 15 ramps, but six were later dropped. Work on the remaining nine remains unfinished, limiting connectivity.

A feasibility study projected a daily traffic volume of 39,388 vehicles in 2025, but CDA data shows slightly more than 8,000 — around 20% of the estimate.

The elevated road opened on 14 November 2023, with trial runs beginning in August 2024 and toll collection starting on 3 January 2025.

CDA's other major projects proceed slowly

Several major projects under the Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) continue to suffer delays, rising costs and repeated extensions. 

One of the most prominent is the Outer Ring Road from Patenga to Sagarika.

Approved in 2011 at Tk856 crore with a four-year timeline, the project has undergone multiple revisions — rising to Tk1,496 crore in the first revision, Tk2,426 crore in the second, Tk2,675 crore in the third and Tk3,324 crore in the fourth. This represents an increase of about 288%. 

The physical progress is now 91.60%, and the current deadline is December 2025.

The project aims to protect the city from tidal surges, create a bypass, link the coast with the Karnaphuli tunnel and prepare land for tourism, housing and industry.

Another delayed initiative is the 'Road and Embankment Construction Project from Kalurghat to Chaktai'. Approved in 2017 at Tk2,310 crore, the cost is now Tk2,779 crore.

The nine-kilometre project began in 2018 and is 82% complete. The deadline is June 2026. Under the same project, the CDA is developing a 5.5-kilometre tourist centre along the Karnaphuli River at a cost of about Tk150 crore.

CDA Chief Engineer Ahmed Anwarul Nazrul said, "We are working to complete the project within this year. Even though the project cost increased through revision before, there is no such scope this time. If, by chance, we cannot finish the work, we will extend the work duration but the cost will not be increased."

Repeated attempts to contact CDA Chairman Nurul Karim regarding the projects were unsuccessful.