Waterlogging persists despite mega drainage projects in Ctg
UNB:
Despite spending thousands of crores over more than a decade and launching multiple large-scale drainage projects, Chattogram continues to suffer from crippling waterlogging during monsoon.The delays in project implementation, uncoordinated efforts, lack of urban planning and public indifference have turned the problem into an enduring nightmare for city residents.
In 2017, four major projects aimed at eradicating waterlogging in the port city were jointly undertaken by the Chattogram Development Authority (CDA), Chattogram City Corporation (CCC), and the Water Development Board.These projects, with a combined estimated cost of nearly Tk 14,000 crore, were scheduled for completion by 2022. But, work progress now ranges between 60 and 80 percent, reported UNB
The recent spells of continuous rain have once again left low-lying areas of the city submerged.While some areas saw faster water drainage due to canal renovation works under the waterlogging mitigation project, many neighbourhoods, including Chawkbazar, Mehedibagh, Kapasgola, Katalganj, Sholokbahar and Agrabad still experienced severe inundation, causing immense suffering for hundreds of thousands of residents.
Despite warnings of possible landslides in the hilly areas of the city due to the heavy rains, no visible steps have been taken to relocate residents from risky zones.According to Chattogram City Corporation sources, excavation work has been completed on 21 out of 36 canals.Besides, regulator gates and pump houses have been constructed at the mouths of four canals out of the 12 planned under the project.
Project engineer and Chief Engineer of CDA, Kazi Hasan Bin Shams, said that waterlogging in the city has comparatively reduced as work progresses.He, however, blamed non-degradable waste for blocking the drainage channels and creating obstructions.
Urban planner and engineer Delwar Majumder stressed the need for holding accountable the private and institutional owners of vulnerable hills, as failure to do so would keep the risk of landslides and casualties alive.
City residents, however, remain critical of the situation.They blame poor urban management and public irresponsibility for the unending misery.
Despite some improvements, they said, the city remains under constant threat of flooding during peak monsoon, a hardship they have endured for years.Over the last 14 fiscal years, CCC has spent Tk 324 crore under three successive mayors to tackle the problem.
The funds went into canal excavation, silt removal from drains, construction of retaining walls and procurement of machinery and trucks. On average, Tk 23 crore has been spent annually.
Yet experts argue that the money was not spent in a well-planned manner. Instead, routine work was done merely to show effort and the funds seem to have washed away-quite literally-without resolving the core issues. They also argue that given the scale of the problem, the amount spent was not adequate.
In April last year, before the monsoon, many parts of the city were submerged twice in heavy rain. Again in June, large areas including the key Agrabad Access Road went underwater for four days, with boats seen plying the streets.
