Photo: BSS

By S M Zahid Hossain

KHULNA, Feb 20, 2025 (BSS) - Khulna City Corporation (KCC) is working to free the city from waterlogging as its scheme 'Waterlogging Removal Implementation Project' is expected to save the dwellers from long-standing water stagnation problem.

Construction of roads, drainage systems, sluice Gates and pump houses is progressing fast under the project, said KCC officials.

They said the construction of 130 kilometers drains has been completed and remaining work of 35 kilometers will be finished next month.

Shaikh Mohammad Masud Karim, Executive Engineer of KCC and project director said the KCC is conducting these activities on a priority basis, ensuring the smooth flow of water in the canals and the River Moyuri.

He said the construction of 270 kilometers roads has nearly been completed, 14 kilometers will be completed by February while the remaining 1.5 kilometers by next March with a cost of Tk 648.08cr.

Besides, the work of building 130 kilometers drainage system have been done as the construction of 35 kilometers are going on in full swing which is expected to be completed by next June with a total cost of Tk 823.76 crore.

He said digging works of 10 canals, out of 23, and Mayur River have been completed with a cost of Tk 36cr while 50 percent of the construction works of six sluice gates have already been accomplished and the remaining works will be finished by April.

Talking to BSS, Moshiuzzaman Khan, KCC Chief Engineer said construction works of remain roads, drainage system, sluice gate, pump house and digging of canals and river are going in full swing for removal of waterlogging.

Recently, "We have sent details about progress of construction works to the Ministry of Local Government after holding a project implementation committee meeting," he said.

Some construction works were stopped as concerned contractors fled away after August 5 last year, he said, adding that, "We are giving prime priorities to mitigate the water logging problem".

Talking to BSS, Shaikh Ashrafuzzaman, President of the Greater Khulna Development Action Coordination Committee (GKDACC), said the KCC has left no stone unturned in trying to solve the water logging problem permanently in the last 15 years and implemented various projects to solve water logging but the problem arises in the rainy season.

In 2013, KCC took the initiative of dredging rivers and canals under a Tk 65 crore project titled "Urban Development Project", but it was not completed.

Later in 2018, the city corporation took another initiative for removing waterlogging which was not fruitful enough to solve the issue permanently, Ashrafuzzaman said.

So, it would be better to coordinate with other government departments including the Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWDB) to resolve the problem, he added.

He hoped that city dwellers would get relief from the long-standing waterlogging problem after completion of the project.