More costs, more time, more troubles

Costs and deadlines of four ongoing projects to mitigate the waterlogging issue in Chattogram -- worth Tk 11,000 crore -- have been extended multiple times. However, the sufferings of the port city dwellers have increased with them.

Several government audits have revealed that projects were undertaken without development project proposals (DPP), feasibility studies, correct designs and compliance with the city master plans.

According to Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) sources, a meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved the largest project -- worth Tk 5,617 crore -- in August 2017. The project was scheduled to be completed by June 2020. However, it was extended by two phases to June 2022.

Meanwhile, only 65 percent of the work has been completed by April this year. The third extension of the project till December 2023 is awaiting Ecnec's approval and will increase the cost by 70 percent, at an estimated Tk 9,526 crore.

The DPP prepared by CDA revised the costs at Tk 10,420 crore, while Ministry of Housing and Public Works revised it to Tk 9,526 crore.

According to an audit report published in July 2021 by the Implementation Monitoring and Evaluation Division (IMED), the project was approved without proper feasibility study and coordination between the implementing and consulting firms.

The report states that the actual cost was much higher than the estimate because the DPP lacked a "practical work plan" for different project components.

Another Tk 2,310-crore CDA project, involving the construction of a road from Karnafuli to Kalurghat Bridge, is about to miss its deadline.

When Ecnec, in August 2017, approved the project, the deadline was fixed at 2020, which has been extended till June 2022.

At least 8.55 kilometres of roads and embankments, regulators and pump houses are being constructed on the opening of 12 canals. Currently, 10 sluice gates are being constructed with a progress rate of only 56 percent.

CDA officials said that the deadline was extended due to the changes in the regulator design in the middle of the project.

Project Director Rajib Das said, "The construction of five sluice gates at Chaktai and Rajakhali canals is almost complete. We hope to complete the rest by June this year."

Another project, undertaken by Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) to excavate a canal from Baroipara to Karnafuli river in 2014 was supposed to end by December 2018.

Seven years have passed since the initiation, and CCC could not dig a three-kilometre long canal, due to complications in acquiring lands.

CCC itself revealed that the project has seen only 12 percent progress.

Recently, Ecnesc approved the increase in the budget from Tk 328 crore to Tk 1,373 crore and extended the deadline till June 2024.

CCC Chief Engineer Rafiqul Islam said, "The work was stalled as we could not acquire the lands required. It will resume shortly, as we have received the budget, and works are underway to acquire the lands."

Meanwhile, a Tk 1,620-crore Water Development Board (WDB) project was approved in 2019, with a plan to build 23 regulators in the estuary of 23 canals along Karnaphuli river to ward off tidal water, along with an 18.96-km flood wall.

The project has already missed its deadline of December 2021. WDB could not start the work even in 2022 due to Chattogram Port Authority's (CPA) objections because of obstacles to port activities.

Project Director Lt Col Kabirul Islam said, "At present, the project is at a progress rate of 15 percent. A new design has been prepared, consulting the port authority, and hopefully, works can start soon."

Calling out the wrong implementations of the projects, architect and town planner Zarina Hossain said, "CDA developed a realistic 20-year masterplan, which all these projects have overlooked."

"The government has not held relevant agencies, such as CCC and CDA, accountable and failed to ensure professionalism on their part," added Zarina, also general secretary of Forum for Planned Chattogram.