536 canals, drains in Ctg city are hazardous, safety fences to be installed soon

The Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) has identified 563 hazardous locations across the city's canals and drains, with many sites lacking essential safety measures. Most of these locations are without protective fencing or slabs, and some are missing crucial manhole covers, posing a severe risk to public safety. In response, the CCC has committed to installing safety barriers and covers at all identified danger zones to prevent further accidents.

Over the past four years, at least 12 lives have been tragically lost due to falls into Chattogram’s open canals and drains. Despite the implementation of large-scale projects worth billions of taka aimed at reducing waterlogging and improving the drainage system, effective safety measures like fences have remained largely absent, primarily due to budget constraints. Though authorities have made promises after each accident, little progress has been made, leaving residents to navigate these hazardous areas at their own risk. Amjad Hossain, a concerned resident of Double Mooring, called the open drains and canals "death traps" and urged the authorities to take immediate action by installing safety fences at the most dangerous spots.

The CCC first compiled a list of risky canals and drains in October 2021, surveying 1,137 kilometers of drainage networks across 41 wards of the city. This survey revealed that 19,234 meters of canal banks lacked safety fences, and 5,527 open drains were identified as dangerous. However, despite the passage of over three and a half years, the necessary safety measures have not been implemented, leaving the most vulnerable areas exposed to the risk of accidents.

In April 2022, the Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) and the CCC held a coordination meeting to address the critical need for safety fences under the 'Waterlogging Relief Mega Project'. Both organizations agreed on the urgent need to construct fences along canal banks to reduce the risk of accidents. Despite this consensus, three years later, progress remains slow, with safety measures still not fully in place. The demand for protective barriers has grown louder, especially after the tragic death of six-month-old Shehriz, who fell into Hijra canal on April 18, intensifying public concern.

In response to the growing urgency, Chattogram City Mayor Dr Shahadat Hossain has taken a proactive stance. On April 20, he directed CCC engineers to prepare a list of hazardous locations, including those without safety fences, slabs, or manhole covers, with a deadline set for April 24. The CCC issued a public notice calling on residents to report any open canals or drains they considered dangerous. Six regional executive officers were assigned the responsibility of gathering this information. This week, the engineering department finalised and released a comprehensive list of risky spots, which were categorized into six zones across the city.

According to the finalised list, Zone 1 has 47 risky spots, Zone 2 has 78, Zone 3 has 68, Zone 4 has 74, Zone 5 has 33, and Zone 6 has 263. To prevent accidents, a total of 863 slabs of various sizes need to be installed across these areas. Additionally, 146 sites are still without safety fences, and several lack manhole covers. Chief Engineer of the City Civil Protection and Urban Development Corporation, Md. Anisur Rahman, shared that temporary bamboo safety fences will be set up at these locations as a temporary measure before the monsoon season begins. He also confirmed that project work to install permanent safety measures is already underway in some locations.

Mayor Dr Shahadat Hossain emphasised, "Once the project is fully underway, permanent safety fences will be installed along the canal banks. We are also actively working on installing slabs wherever necessary." He further assured, "For now, temporary bamboo fences will be put up, and red tape will be used to alert pedestrians to the dangers. These measures will be followed by permanent safety fences."