DHAKA, March 7, 2019 (BSS) – The government has undertaken a big project involving Taka 1,620.73 crore to ensure flood control, address water logging and improve the drainage facilities of the Chattogram metropolis.
The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has recently approved a project to this end titled ‘Flood control, addressing water logging and improvement of drainage facilities of Chattogram Metropolis’.
Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) under the Ministry of Water Resources will implement the project by June 2022 to be entirely borne from the state exchequer, said a senior Planning Commission official.
The official said that the main objectives of the project are to freeing the Chattogram metropolis from water logging as well as protecting the port city from tidal surge, high tide and flood through constructing retaining wall and flood wall on the right embankment of River Karnaphuli.
Besides, steps will be taken to stop intrusion of salty water and speedy drainage of rain water in the city through constructing regulator and pump house.
Commenting on the project, Planning Minister MA Mannan said that once the project is implemented, it would help addressing the water logging of the port city to a great extent.
“This project will protect Chattogram from flood and tidal surge and high tide,” he added.
Another official at the Water Resources Ministry told BSS that River Karnaphuli and River Halda are very much important for drainage of Water from the Chattogram Metropolitan City while the main industrial areas, railways area near Pahartali, Shah Amanat International Airport, Kalurghat heavy industrial area are situated near the River Karnaphuli.
Besides, the water flow of 23 city canals merges in River Karnaphuli, water flow of three canals converges into River Halda while the water flow of remaining 14 canals go into the Bay of Bengal.
Apart from this, excessive rain water and mixed impact of high tide and low tide at the River Karnaphuli are one of the main reasons for water logging in the city.
The water from the River Karnaphuli during high tide enter the city since there is no flood control embankment on the right side of the River Karnaphuli and River Halda.
Under the circumstances, Bangladesh Water Development Board formed a technical committee in December 2016 following request from the Chattogram City Corporation to address the problem side by side a study was carried out by Chattogram WASA.
“Based on that study and recommendations of the technical committee, the project was drafted and later was approved at the Planning Commission and subsequently at the ECNEC,” added the Water Resources Ministry official.
The main project operations include construction of 2.70 kilometer retaining wall, 18.965 kilometer flood wall, installation of some 69 pumps, construction of 23 regulators, 1 kilometer slope protection and some 6 hectares of land acquisition.
The Pre Evaluation Committee (PEC) meeting on the project was held on July 15 last year where the Planning Commission recommended for implementing the project.