The Chittagong Development Authority or CDA has launched a Tk 50 billion mega project aimed at easing water-logging from the next monsoon season.
“The city is going to see visible change in water-logging from the next season,” said its Chairman Abdus Salam while inaugurating work on the project on Saturday.
The work for the ‘Canal re-excavation, expansion, renovation and development of water-logging of Chittagong city’ project began by cleaning mud and waste from the city’s Gate No 2.
Talking to reporters, CDA Chairman said, “I am humbly requesting the residents of the city - please don’t expect more this season as it is a huge task. It will take time to complete the process.”
Promising to finish the project at a faster-than-expected pace, he said the people of the city will not enjoy the outcome of the project this year, but will see a visible change in the next monsoon season.
Every year, one-third of the port city goes under seawater during high tides. The situation worsens if heavy rains are involved. Inundation of the low-lying areas of the city has become a regular phenomenon.
The CDA has identified the most vulnerable areas of the city for water-logging.
“As part of the plan, we have started to work to clear the drainage system of those areas,” said Salam.
Last year, 30 wards under the city corporation were in terrible state during the rainy season. The wards include Halishahar, Agrabad CDA neighbourhood, Agrabad Excess Road, Chaktai, Bakshirhat, Khatunganj, Dewan Bazar, Chawkbazar, Baklay, Gate No 2, Muradpur, Bahaddarhat and Shulokbohor.
The CDA chairman sought the cooperation of other public agencies such as the police administration, WASA, WAPDA and PDB to make the project successful.
Replying to a question about the same promise he made last year, he said, “I believe in implementation, not in promises. At the end of the day, the city’s residents will evaluate the implementation. The work has just begun.”
The CDA, a branch under the housing and public works ministry, and the Bangladesh Army signed a Memorandum of Understanding to conduct the mega project to solve water-logging in the port city to avoid irregularities detected.
On Aug 9 last year, the Executive Committee of National Economic Council or ECNEC approved the project, reports bdnews24.
The Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives has also formed a committee for better coordination among the various organisations.
The project is scheduled to be complete by June 2020. It is urgent to remove water logging because the Chittagong port handles the lions' share of the country's export-import business.
Residents of Chittagong have become habituated to regular water-logging during the rainy season since the start of the 2000s. Since then, every mayor aspirants to the Chittagong city corporation has pledged to solve the issue.