Ctg dwellers to face waterlogging for 21 non-renovated canals

Chattogram city dwellers may not get relief from waterlogging and will suffer for the non-renovated 21 canals which remained out of the Tk9,526-crore Chattogram city waterlogging project despite the project work mostly completed.

Expressing the concern at a programme on Tuesday, regarding the progress of the project Brigadier General Md Masudur Rahman, the commander of the 34-Engineer Construction Brigade of the Bangladesh army, said, "The project will be completed by June this year. 76.25% of the work has already been done."

Brigadier General Md Masudur Rahman said, "Out of 57 canals in the city, 36 canals are under this project being implemented by the army. We have almost completed the work of 36 canals. But the remaining 21 canals and culverts have no way to divert water."

"Electricity, water, and gas lines caused the accumulation of dirt in these canals and 59 points of bridges, creating obstacles in the movement of water. The city dwellers will suffer in the future due to these out-of-the-project canals and culverts," he added.

Through a PowerPoint presentation, Project Director Lieutenant Colonel Md Shah Ali detailed the completed work and remaining work of the project at the meeting in the conference room of the brigade in the port city.

 Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) Chairman Md Zahirul Alam Dobhas and senior officers of CDA and the army were present in the exchange meeting.

The CDA Chairman said the work of the drainage project is at the end. The days of suffering from waterlogging are not over, but the suffering will lessen. To get the benefits of this project, city dwellers need to be aware and avoid littering everywhere.

In reply to reporters' query "why these 21 canals were kept out of the project," the CDA chairman could not give any answer.

In August 2017, the government approved the project "Re-excavation, expansion, renovation and development of canals for waterlogging in Chittagong city" at a cost of Tk5,616 crore. Last year its expenditure was increased to Tk9,526 crore.

Under the project, Bangladesh Army completed the construction of five regulators in Firingi Bazar, Tekpara, Kalabagicha, Maryam Bibi, and Mahesh canals to control tidal water.

On the other hand, the Water Development Board and Chattogram Development Authority are working on the construction of 32 and 12 regulators.

Out of 176 kilometres of retaining wall in this project, the army completed work of 118 km. The construction of 45 bridges and six culverts have been completed. All the 15.50 km roadside drains are fully constructed. Construction of 10.77 km of new drains has also been completed.

However, the construction of 13 out of 42 silt traps, 15.50 km out of 85.68 km of canal road, and only 5.50 km out of 50.50 km of footpaths have been completed.