RDPP likely to be approved in pre-ECNEC meeting today

CHATTOGRAM, Oct 11: The Revised Development Project Profile (RDPP) of canal re-excavation, renovation and expansion to eradicate water-logging of Chattogram implemented by the Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) is expected to be approved in the pre-ECNEC meeting on Thursday.

The RDPP was submitted in 2021 for extension of deadline and the estimation of the cost has not yet been approved by the government.

The deadline for completion of the project had been expired in June 30 last, said Project Director Lt Col. M Shah Ali.He said, we have so far completed the 76 per cent works of the project.

Without the approval of the RDPP, basically there was no existence of the project.

As per initial DPP, the project was scheduled to be completed by June 2020. But in the second time revision, the deadline had been extended to June 2023.
After approval in the Pre-ECNEC meeting, the RDPP is likely to be approved by the ECNEC.

Then the implementing organisation CDA will go for works afresh.

The project of CDA "Canal re-excavation, renovation and expansion to eradicate water logging of Chattogram" was approved by the ECNEC on August 9 in 2017 at an estimated cost of Tk 5,616 crore. Then CDA signed an agreement with Bangladesh Army on April 9 in 2018.

Four mega projects by CDA and Bangladesh Army; WDB Project and CCC Project are now ongoing only to remove water-logging from the port city.

The total cost of those projects had been estimated over Tk 14,000 crore.

RDPP increasing the cost to Tk 10,400 crore from the existing Tk 5, 616 crore is now waiting for the approval,
The problem of water-logging in the port city is always happened frequently during the rainy seasons. A moderate to heavy rainfall is enough to inundate various part of the city which includes roads, lanes and by-lanes, houses, markets, shops etc.

 As a major economic zone its economy hampers a lot during rainy season.

Sluice gates would be installed at all the estuaries of the excavated canals.

According to CDA master plan there were a total of 57 canals in the city. Of them, 36 canals have been brought under the project while the rest 21 canals still remain out of the project.

But the Chattogram City Corporation has already declared that they would excavate the rest 21 canals.

So, a total of 57 sluice gates should be installed at all the estuaries of 57 canals ro remove water-logging problem from the city completely.