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Projects to remove Dhaka waterlogging progress fast


Published : 10 Jul 2019 09:44 PM | Updated : 06 Sep 2020 10:13 PM

Government projects to remove the nagging water logging problems in the capital Dhaka are progressing fast and are to be completed within the stipulated time frame. The government has taken up a Tk 550 crore project to remove the water logging problem at 13 points of Dhaka city. As part of the effort, Dhaka WASA took up the project titled Expansion of Drainage Network and Developing Canals of Dhaka City last year which was approved by the executive committee of the national economic council (ECNEC). Project Director, Shawkat Mahmud said, implementation of the project is going on fast and smoothly. We have received Tk 100 crore from the annual development programme in 2019-20 fiscal. We hope to complete the project in the stipulated time frame, he added. The project aims at removing water logging in Dhanmondi, Hazaribagh, Shankar, Jhigatola and Rayerbazar areas under Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Mohammadpur, Shyamoli, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Darus Salam, Mirpur, Pallabi, Cantonment, Uttara and Airport areas under Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC). Besides, the surroundings of the existing canals in project areas will be improved through building embankments and walkways after re-excavating and expanding the water bodies. The project will remove the obstacles in the canals to facilitate smooth flow of storm water in the drainage management. With the initiative, some 52 lakh city dwellers will be relieved of water logging problem. The project will also help ensure smooth movement of traffic and pedestrians during heavy rainfall. Dhaka WASA will implement the project by December 2020. The drainage system of Dhaka city is operated through 44 canals with the total length of 151kms, boasting 10 box culverts, and few thousand kilometres of pipelines of different agencies. Canals are the primary infrastructure of any drainage system that carries storm or rainwater into rivers. There are 43 natural canals in Dhaka city. Of them, 26 are under Dhaka WASA. But most of the canals have not seen any permanent infrastructural development. Under the project, 20km canals will be re-excavated, 11.33km canals maintained, 8.21km RCC pipes procured, storm sewers constructed and 7.13km roads, renovated. The project also includes construction of 1.10km U-type channel, 1.27km retaining wall, road and crossing and acquisition of 0.3 acres of land, among others.