Chattogram waterlogging mitigation projects mired in complexities

Four large projects taken up by the government involving an estimated cost of Tk10,603 crore to solve the decade-old waterlogging problem in Chattogram city are not likely to benefit the people of this city any time soon due to various issues such as the complexities in land acquisition and design, lack of coordination and slow pace of work.

For example, to get rid of this long-standing waterlogging, work is underway to install regulators at the mouths of 40 canals in the city. These canals have been blocked for the physical work of installing the regulators but not more than five regulators will be operational before the monsoon season this year.

Besides, 36 canals of the city are being dug and renovated to keep the flow of rain and tidal water in order. Work on 18 of the canals has not been completed due to land acquisition complications.

In August 2017, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved the Tk5,616 crore project for re-excavation, expansion, renovation and development of canals to alleviate waterlogging in the city.

Land acquisition has remained a major obstacle since the project started in April 2018. At the time of approval, the compensation for land acquisition was one and a half times but it has been refixed three times amending the law. Therefore, out of the 6,516 kathas of land allotted for the project, only 300 kathas have been acquired.

Besides, out of 85.68 km of road along the canal, 13.05 km has been completed. And, work has started on 15 out of 42 silt traps to prevent hilly sand.

Project Director Lieutenant Colonel Md Shah Ali of the 34th Engineering Construction Brigade of the Army, the director of the project, told The Business Standard (TBS), "Under the project, setting up of regulators in Maryam Bibi, Kalabagicha, Tekpara, Firingibazar and Maheshkhal will be completed before the monsoon season."

"Regulators have been brought from the UK and gates from the Netherlands. Besides, the soil will be removed from all the canals before the monsoon," he added.

Under another Tk2,310crore project for the construction of roads from Kalurghat bridge to Chaktai canal along the banks of Karnaphuli, the instalment of 12 regulators are stuck in a financial crisis. In the current financial year, only Tk213 crore has been allocated against the demand of Tk500 crore.

Under the project, 8.55 km of roads and embankments are also to be constructed. The work is to be completed in June this year by extending the implementation period in three phases.

Rajiv Das, project director and Chittagong Port Authorities (CPA) executive engineer, told TBS, "We have received Tk100 crore in the first year of Covid-19, which is very little for such a big project."

An underconstruction sluice gate at the mouth of Rajakhali lake of the River Karnaphuli in Chattogram. Under a project to solve the waterlogging problem of the city, infrustuctural work of 40 sluice gate is complete but installation of pumps and gates are not likely to be completed before the monsoon this year. Photo: Mohammad Minhaz Uddin.

Another project for flood protection wall construction on the banks of the River Karnaphuli, to be implemented by the Bangladesh Army at Tk1,620crore, is also stuck due to the objection of CPA, financial crisis and complexities in the regulator's designs. 

Under the project, a 19-km long flood protection wall was to be constructed on the banks of the river in addition to installing regulators at the mouths of 23 canals. Of these, physical work has been completed in only two regulators and four are in progress even though the project deadline will end in June. Not even Tk100 crore has been disbursed for the project so far.

An extension of one year has been requested, however, the people concerned think that it would not be possible to get such a huge amount of money in one year. No one from the authorities wanted to comment on it.

CPA Chief Hydrographer Commander M Arifur Rahman told TBS, "The port area was excluded in the feasibility study of the wall construction because if walls are constructed in the area from the Padma, Meghna, Jamuna oil on the bank to ghat-15 where will the ships dock!"

Water Development Board Executive Engineer Toyan Kumar Tripura said, "Due to the port's objection, a 12.35-km wall will not be constructed from ghat-15 to Shah Amanat Bridge. However, the construction of a 6.5 km flood protection wall from Kalurghat to Madunaghat is underway. The project is being revised. As much land acquisition does not have to be done the project cost and time will come down a lot."

On 24 June 2014, Ecnec approved a canal excavation project from Baroipara to the Karnaphuli at Tk1,256crore to be implemented by the Chittagong City Corporation. After seven years, the project was inaugurated on 27 November last year. Although the duration of the project has been extended till 2024, the physical work has not started due to the non-acquisition of land.

Tk914 crore has been spent on land acquisition. The district administration has so far allotted 10 acres out of 25 acres.

Project Director of Chattogram City Corporation Executive Engineer Md Farhadul Alam said it would take another six months to get the land. Then the canal excavation work will start.