Waterlogging a norm in Ctg despite Tk11,000cr in mitigation projects 

Lately, during monsoon, it has become a norm for Chattogram to be flooded no matter how much or how little it rains.

According to the Patenga Meteorological Office, from Wednesday morning to 9am on Thursday, there was a record rainfall of 216 millimetres (mm) in Chattogram.

Several areas of the port city were inundated during this time. But the same was true earlier, on 6 June when the city practically flooded and sank after only 44mm of rain.

Due to heavy rain, several areas of Muradpur, Sholashahar, Chawkbazar, Kapasgola, Bahaddarhat, Katalganj, Chaktai, Bakalia, DC Road, Rahmatganj, Halishahar, and Chandgaon of the city were submerged on Wednesday night.

Residents of the port city believe that the slow progress of waterlogging mitigation projects and the lack of coordination between project implementing agencies are to blame for the disaster.

Yusuf Ali, from the Chandgaon residential area, said most roads in the area get flooded when it rains.

"Quite a few important offices, including the Rubber Department of the Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation, and the Bangladesh Bar Council are situated in this area. Even so, no effective measures have been taken to mitigate waterlogging," he said.

Due to repeated and regular waterlogging, the ground floor of most buildings there are now abandoned, Yusuf added.

Projects worth Tk11,000 crore come to nothing

There are currently four active projects in Chattogram city, worth almost Tk11,000 crore, to mitigate the waterlogging problem.

Two of these projects are being implemented by the Chittagong Development Authority (CDA), one each by the Chattogram City Corporation and the Water Development Board. 

None of these projects have progressed as expected, but in the last three years these projects have spent more than Tk3000 crore, or a little under a third of the monies allocated for them.

Although the projects are yet to bear any fruit, a temporary dam built in the Nouya canal as part of the CDA project has worsened the waterlogging problem of the city, says the mayor.

Manjur Alam, of Shamsher Para near the canal, said, "Our family has been living in this area for years  and we never experienced waterlogging. But since the canal repairs began, the roads here are flooded every time it rains."

Engineer Delwar Majumder, former president of the Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB), Chattogram Centre, said, "CDA is not a suitable institution to implement waterlogging projects. The canal dam should have been opened before the monsoon."

But Lieutenant Colonel Shah Ali, director of the CDA's canal repair project, said they removed the dam on the Nouya canal when monsoon arrived.
"But under another project, regulators are being installed in Rajakhali canal, Nouya canal, and Domkhali canal which has narrowed the canals, resulting in waterlogging," he added.

Current status of the four projects

The largest of these projects is being implemented by the CDA for Tk5,616 crore. The project, taken up in 2017, was supposed to finish on 30 June but the CDA managed to get a one-year extension.

In the last three years, the project has spent only Tk1,774 crore, and it is not even halfway through.

CDA Chief Engineer Kazi Hasan bin Shams said, "It will take another two years to complete the project. Our main challenge is land acquisition."

CDA is in charge of this Tk2310 crore project as well. Taken up in July 2017, the project was supposed to end in June this year but it got a one year extension as well. So far, Tk667.47 crore has been spent on completing about 50% of the project as well.

CDA Executive Engineer Rajib Das said an 8.55-kilometre embankment with a road, pumphouse, and regulators at the mouth of 12 canals are being installed under the project. So far, about 70% of the work on 10 switch gates has been completed.

Baroipara canal excavation project of Chattogram City Corporation:  

Last year, the former mayor of Chattogram City Corporation initiated the Baroipara canal excavation project just before the city corporation elections. But he could not take office again and the excavation remained incomplete.

The project was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) in June 2014. It has been extended twice but there has been no progress. So far, Tk911 crore has been spent on the project for land acquisition.

Additional Chief Engineer Rafiqul Islam of Chattogram City Corporation, said it was decided to acquire land in five phases under the project but so far three phases have not yet been approved. And, the district administration is yet to hand over the land of the two phases which were approved.

Furthermore, the city corporation does not have the capacity to spend Tk304 crore on land acquisition and construction, he added.

Flood control project of the Water Development Board:

The project worth Tk1620 crore was approved by Ecnec in February 2019. Regulators will be installed at the mouth of 23 canals for the project. A 19 km flood protection wall on the bank of the Karnaphuli river is also slated for the project.

The Bangladesh army is implementing the project, but so far only three regulators are being installed for Tk50 crore.
About the lack of progress, Water Development Board Executive Engineer, Tayan Kumar Tripura, said the Chattogram port authorities are not allowing construction of the wall on the banks of the Karnaphuli river.