ECNEC Approved Three Projects Worth 503 Cr: Water Logging In CTG Will Be Addressed

The approval came from an Ecnec meeting held at the NEC conference room in city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area with Ecnec Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said three development projects involving TK 503.86 crore were approved today. “Of the total project cost, TK 427.12 crore will come from the national exchequer while the rest of TK 76.74 crore from the respective organizations’ own funds,” he said.

State Minister for Finance and Planning MA Mannan and Planning Division Secretary Bhuiyan Shafiqul Islam were present at the briefing. The Planning Minister also informed that a total of 212 development projects were approved in the current fiscal year in 26 Ecnec meetings with an estimated cost of TK 1,22,040 crore, including TK 63,945 crore from the government fund while TK 54,320 crore from project assistance.

Planning Ministry sources said that Chittagong City Corporation will implement the ‘Canal excavation project from Bahaddarhat Baroipara to the Karnaphuli River’ to be completed by June 2016. Under the project, the existing canals of the port city will be rehabilitated alongside excavating some new canals for the quick removal of rainwater during monsoon. Besides, some new ponds will be excavated to preserve water.

Under the project, some 2.9-km long and 65-meter width canal would be excavated in Chittagong having a provision of 20-foot road on both sides of the canal to facilitate traffic movement alongside easy cleaning of the canal. The project cost may rise further later on as there will be provision for further widening of the roads on both sides of the canals.

The Ecnec meeting approved another project titled ‘Procurement of container and cargo handling equipments’ at a cost of TK 87.56 crore to be completed by June 2016. Mongla Port Authority under the Shipping Ministry will implement the project to enhance the cargo handling capacity of the port through procurement of container and cargo handling equipment and thus it will ensure fast and reliable services to the port users. Once the Khulna-Mongla railway link project is implemented, the number of cargo handling at the Mongla Port will get enhanced by 17 percent annually while it would be possible to transport containers from the Mongla Port once the inland container terminal at Pangaon is launched fully.

The Ecnec meeting gave nod to another project titled ‘Construction of Bridge over River Kushiara on Pagla-Jagannathpur-Raniganj-Aushkandi Highway’ at a cost of TK 126.87 crore. Roads and Highways Department under the Roads Division will implement the project to be entirely borne by government funds. Once the project is expected to be completed by June 2018, the road communication from Dhaka and Chittagong to Sunamganj will be much easier. Under the project, a 702.33-metre PC girder bridge will be constructed which will reduce the distance of Sunamganj with Dhaka and Chittagong by about 50 kilometers as well as secure safe and fast communication. Mustafa Kamal said the bridge will have toll collection system for movement of traffic and as a result it will be a self-sustained unit. He also said the Prime Minister at the meeting directed the ministries concerned to prepare plans for cities keeping in mind the traffic volume of the next 30 to 50 years. Ministers, state ministers, Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned attended the meeting.