Circular waterway phase two plan waits the nod

A section of the Circular Water Way project. PHOTO: Syed Zakir Hossain

The project concept paper (pcp) for the second phase of the circular waterway has been placed at the Planning Commission for inclusion in the Annual Development Program (ADP) after the Ministry for Shipping approved it last Thursday.

The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) had undertaken the project in a bid to develop a water transport system in and around the city, revive the dead and dying rivers and canals and improve landing facilities. The completion of the second phase is a must to encircle the capital by river ways.

The Dhaka circular waterway project connects the Buriganga, Turag, Balu and Shitalakhya rivers. The first phase covered a 29.5-km waterway from Sadarghat to Asulia on the Buriganga and Turag rivers.

The second phase will include Balu and Sitalakhya from Ashulia Bridge via Tongi to Kachpur covering a 40.5-km river route. The cost of phase two has been estimated at Tk 294 crore according to the pcp. The cost will be managed from government funds (Tk 284.75 crore) and foreign resources (Tk 9.25 crore). The BIWTA is expecting the World Bank (WB), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and other donor agencies to assist in this regard.

The project had been discussed in a 'Good Governance and Development' meeting on March 6 where the BIWTA was instructed to work on the proposal of creating a multi-modal transport system with the Dhaka Urban Transport Coordination Board (DTCB).

Later the BIWTA had a meeting with DTCB on April 24 where DTCB experts suggested that the sites of the landing stations shown in the pcp along with the road map of the city should be superimposed using Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Under the second phase there will be one river port at Tongi, six major landing stations at Rampura, Trimukh, Ichapur, Fakirkhali, Demra and Kachpur and minor landing stations at Harbaid, Beraid, Khordi, Gojaria and Kaitpara, Meradia, Trimohoni, Vatara, Namapara and one between Ashulia and Tongi for the devotees of the Biswa Ijtema.

The BIWTA needs to acquire 35 acres of land for parking yards and bus terminals at landing stations. DTCB also suggested dredging inner canals which are included in the project.

Three canals -- Rampura-Meradia-Trimohoni-Balu, Meradia-Badda-Vatara-Gojaria and Gobindanagar-Baupara-Namapara will be dredged to ensure navigability.

Tk. 125 crore has been estimated for construction and repair of the connecting roads of the 16 landing station.

To relocate the gas pipe line at Aminbazar and Tongi, as dredging will be done in the area through which it has passed, Tk 9.5 crore has been kept following a suggestion from Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Ltd.

Meantime, the BIWTA has completed the hydrographic survey of the area. According to the survey the depth and width at most points of the 40.5-km river way from Ashulia to Kachpur were not fit for navigation. 30-lakh cubic meter dredging will be required to make those spots eight-foot deep and 120 feet wide.

The Project implementation period is five years (July 2004 to June 2009).