CHATTOGRAM: Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved a new canal digging project involving Tk12.56 billion to remove the port city's water-logging problems at its meeting on Wednesday.
The project of Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) for digging a canal from Baroipara near Bahaddarhat to the River Karnaphuli will help check water-logging that floods every monsoon most parts of the city having a population of six million, CCC officials said.
Sources said the project got the government nod after seven years of sending the same to the Local Government Ministry on November 29, 2011.
On June 24, 2014, after almost three years of submission, the project worth about Tk 2.90 billion was approved in the ECNEC meeting.
The project was supposed to be funded by the government.
But CCC could not proceed with its implementation for several reasons including unavailability of fund from the government and land acquisition.
Meanwhile, the project implementation period expired.
Later, the authorities concerned in the ministry advised the CCC to submit the revised DPP (Development Project Proposal) for excavation of the new canal from the Chaktai Khal to the Karnaphuli River via Shah Amanat Road, Maijpara near Nurnagar Housing Society and East Bakolia.
Under the revised project, the CCC will excavate the 2.9 kilometres long and 65 feet wide canal that includes sand lifting from the Chaktai Khal, renovation and construction of two roads of 20-feet wide on both banks of the new canal.
This project worth Tk 3.2685 billion got the administration's nod on 13 July, 2015. The project was supposed to be implemented by 30 June 2017.
pankajdastider@gmail.com