The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved six projects including one to restore four canals in Dhaka at a cost of Tk899 crore.
Under the scheme, some 20-km of four canals –Kalunagar, Jirani, Manda and Shyamnagar—under the Dhaka South City Corporation would be restored to solve waterlogging and improve environment through beautification.
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The approval came from the Ecnec meeting held at the NEC Conference Room. The meeting was presided over by Ecnec Chair and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina through virtual platform from her official residence Ganobhaban.
“The meeting approved five fresh projects and one revised project. The total estimated cost of the six projects including the revised one is some Tk 7,018.73 crore,” Planning Minister MA Mannan told a news briefing after the meeting.
Of them, Tk 4,362.63 crore will be mobilised from the government’s fund while Tk 269.62 crore from a concerned organisation’s fund and Tk 2,386.48 crore from the external sources as foreign debt, he said.
The Ecnec cleared the first revision of Ghorasal Polash Urea Fertilizer Project raising its cost from Tk 10,460.91 crore to Tk 15,500.21 crore and extending the project deadline to June 2024 from June 2022.
According to the project factsheet, Dhaka South City Corporation will implement the canal project titled “Recovering and Restoration of Canals and Creation of Aesthetic Environment” by June 2026 to restore or develop 19.78 km of the four canals at the cost of Tk 898.73 crore.
Of the cost, Tk 629.11 crore will be spent from the government fund, while the rest Tk 269.62 crore will be provided by the DSCC.
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Under the project, 8.9 km (217,500 sq. meters) of Manda canal, 4.78 km (57,360 sq. meters) of Shyamnagar canal, 3.9 km (78,000 sq. meters) of Jirani canal and 2.4 km (28,800 sq. meters) of Kalunagar canal will be restored or developed.
The major project operations include cleaning up the canals, removing siltation, construction of slope protection and drainage structures, making landscapes and greening the areas.
Besides, 38.06 km eye-catching protection walls, 36 pedestrian bridges, 19 bridges for car movement, 10 public toilets, 32.44 km of walkways, 04 plazas and bicycle lanes will be installed and 771 beautiful lamps will be installed to create aesthetic environment and enhance civic amenities under the project.
The four other projects are “Simanto Hostel Complex Bhaban Construction” (in Saltgola in Chattogram) at a cost of Tk 59.14 crore; “Improving the reliability and safety on National Highways Corridors of Bangladesh by Introduction of Intelligent Transport System (ITS)” (in Keraniganj and Srinagar Upazilas of Munshiganj) at Tk 122.03 crore; "Upgrading the road from Ghonapara to Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's mausoleum (including Sheikh Lutfar Rahman Bridge approach) to proper standard and width" at Tk 347.04 crore; and "River bank protection to prevent Padma River erosion in Bhedarganj Upazila of Shariatpur District" at a cost of Tk 552.49 crore.