Hatirjheel-Begunbari Canal Project- still a long way to go!

Begunbari canal near Bangladesh FDC & Ideal Trade Centre


Bridge loop at Madhubagh over canal to connect Tejgaon Industrial Area


Tejgaon Industrial area

Watch dog- Madhubagh

Madhubagh

Partial view Niketon-Badda

Niketan-Gulshan south

Merul Badda

Madhubagh

view of Aftabnagar, Rampura

Zahurul Islam University bldg. Aftabnagar, Rampura

Bamboo market on Rampura-Badda road

Water-hyacinth from Begunbari canal

Gulshan-1 lake south

Begunbari


Bridge constn over lake moving at a snail's speed

Begunbari lake


near Tejgaon- FDC

Hatir jheel and Karwanbazar

Eskaton view over Hatir jheel


Hatir jheel- yet incomplete


Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel south side

Panthapath-Sonargaon hotel intersection



Banglamotor intersection

The Hatirjheel-Begunbari canal project was initiated in 2007 and approved for an amount of Tk.1,480.98 crore by the ECNEC in Oct 2007 for completion of work by June 2010. Later, an additional Tk 420 crore was allocated at the end of 2008 for land acquisition, raising the total project cost to Tk 1,893 crore.

Bangladesh Army and Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) took over the Hatijheel-Begunbari project in 2008. Its actual land requirement was assessed through conducting field-level survey.

According to original time frame, land acquisition was supposed to be completed by December 2007 but it rolled till the last quarter of 2010. Project deadline was extended to June 2011 last year and now a proposal to extend the deadline further to June 2012 is awaiting approval.

The main objective of the project was to drain out stagnant water from the city quickly during rainy season. Under the project, a ring road was considered surrounding the canal.

The Special Works Organisation (Army Engineering Corps), RAJUK, Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authorities and Local Government and Engineering Department are jointly implementing the project.

Hatirjheel and Begunbari canal at one time were connected to Dhanmondi Lake. During late 80’s when Panthapath road was constructed, the open channel was filled up.

Hatirjheel-Begunbari project has now been planned for mufti-dimensional perspectives for ensuring various public facilities and recreation- amphitheater, floating gardens, water deck, enhanced communications system connecting Tongi Diversion Road and the Pragati Sarani to ease the chronic congestion particularly of Mouchak, Maghbazar and Tejgaon intersections, water-taxi, parking-lots etc. The canal ring road will include six bridges, four overpasses, one expressway, U-loops, serviceable road and 2.5m walkway. The project will have 300 acres-lake/canal with fresh water, improved sewerage system and help reducing traffic jam in the city.

The bridge-width (double lane) may be inadequate (like Dhanmandi lake bridge) in the long run for fast traffic once the canal ring roads are connected with the three major trunk roads/expressway at Panthapath, FDC, Gulshan south and Rampura. Width of 'link roads' connecting the areas from one side over the lake to the other should be 4-lane for vehicular traffic. The south and east bank of canal pass through densely populated areas of low and middle income group (Merul Badda, Rampura, Noyatola, Madhubagh and Moghbazar). Without separate service road isolating these areas from the canal promenade ring roads, the situation will be too constricted and present a chaotic scene we see around renovated Lalbagh Killa, Osmani-uddan, Ahsan Manzil and Buriganga river.

Water level in Hatirjkeel/ Begunbari canal during dry season is likely  to go down by 12'-15'. Since the project includes public recreation- promenade, boating and 'water-taxi' service, to maintain its working head (without sewer water) water may have to be pumped in with a heavy recurring cost.
(Hatirjheel - Begunbari Wetland Development)