The eagerly anticipated construction of the ‘8.55 Kilometre (Km) road cum town protection embankment,’ one of the four important projects taken to address the long-drawn waterlogging crisis in the port city, continues in full swing with 65 percent of the entire project completed.
The project officials reported that they are working relentlessly to open the road to traffic by the fresh deadline set for June next year.
Besides, inclusion of an additional component for developing a tourist spot on the bank of the river Karnaphuli for the residents of the crowded city also increased importance of the existing project further.
The mega project titled ‘Construction of Road on the bank of river Karnaphuli from Kalurghat Bridge to Chaktai Khal (canal),’ being implemented by the Chattogram Development Authority (CDA), was scheduled to be completed by June 2020.
Delay in starting the physical work, outbreak of corona pandemic and fund crunch prolonged the project, said sources.
Though the initial project cost was Tk 2,275 crore, it now stands at Tk 2,779 crore, they said.
When contacted, Project Director (PD) and CDA Executive Engineer Rajib Das told the Daily Sun that landfilling to some seven kilometre stretch of the 8.55 km project has already been completed.
Setting up of tidal regulators at mouths of 10 canals, out of the total 12, has also been completed by this time, he said.
“We are maintaining the 10 installed tidal regulators by own workforce and have got advantages during the recent waterlogging. The waterlogging was nominal in Chaktai, Rajakhali and Bakolia areas this time compared to the previous occasions,” he observed.
“We will hand over the regulators to Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) and train up the manpower to maintain them later,” said Rajib.
The PD also said the tourist spot, similar to Patenga Sea Beach, will be developed under the same project. An additional amount of Tk 150 crore has been allocated for the new component.
“The project witnessed a progress of some 65 percent and we are expecting to launch it by the deadline of June next year,” he added.
Sources said once implemented, the road will connect the Dhaka-Chattogram and Chattogram-Cox’s Bazar highways through the City By-pass Loop Road and Bangabandhu Avenue to reduce traffic congestion in the city.
The vehicles which come to the city from Kaptai, Rangunia and Boalkhaliupazilas will be able to go to Airport and Patenga areas in the city and south Chattogram through the road bypassing the city centre.
Besides, the vehicles from south Chattogramupazilas will be able to go to north side of city through it.
The road-cum-town protection embankment will also save important business establishments at Chaktai, Khatunganj, Boxir Hat, Bakolia, Chandgaon and Kalurghat heavy industrial area from the long-drawn waterlogging problem, they said.
Under the project, 8.55km road-cum-embankment will be constructed while 12 regulator and pump houses will be set up, 212,500 square kilometre slope protection will be developed and 5305,000 cubic-metre soil will be filled for the road and embankment.
The regulators and the pump houses will resist the tidal water and pump out the stranded water during high-tide and heavy rain to save the city from waterlogging.
On the other hand, the new tourist spot will be developed on a five-kilometre stretch under the ongoing project. A walkway and sitting arrangement for the tourists will be developed while beautification will be carried out there.
The walkway will be constructed on more than five kilometre area on the river bank starting from Shah Amanat Bridge, adjacent area to Bolirhat. CDA got approval for developing the tourist spot last year.
Mentionable, three other projects, including the mega one, are also being implemented by the CDA, CCC and Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) for addressing the waterlogging crisis.
Source: The Daily SUN.