FE REPORT
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a US$115.8 million loan to support environmentally-sustainable and resilient urban services in the Narayanganj City Corporation (NCC).
Under the Narayanganj Green and Resilient Urban Development Project, drinking water supply will be upgraded, drainage systems modernised, and green public spaces expanded. The initiative will also strengthen institutional capacity within the NCC and enhance engagement with local communities.
The project is expected to benefit at least 400,000 residents, support the government's efforts to ease congestion in Dhaka, and strengthen governance and service delivery in one of Bangladesh's key urban growth centres.
"Narayanganj is central to Bangladesh's urban transformation. As urbanisation accelerates and environmental risks intensify, strengthening urban services is both a development and economic imperative," ADB Country Director for Bangladesh Hoe Yun Jeong said in a statement.
The project will significantly improve water supply efficiency and reliability by reducing non-revenue water to below 20 per cent through the replacement and expansion of a 230-km pipeline network, installation of metered household connections, and adoption of district metered area systems.
It will also introduce digital technologies, including supervisory control and data acquisition, and strengthen online billing and revenue collection systems.
Under the project, NCC's water supply capacity is expected to increase from 113 million litres per day to 162 million litres per day through new tube-wells, rehabilitation of the existing treatment plant, and upgradation of the existing wells.
The project will also raise the share of surface water to 51 per cent and develop 22 km of drainage using nature-based solutions to reduce flooding and improve groundwater recharge.
Additionally, inclusive green parks and a rehabilitated playground will be developed to enhance livability and reduce urban heat, with NCC responsible for long-term operation and maintenance.
The ADB supports inclusive, resilient, and sustainable growth across Asia and the Pacific through innovative financing and partnerships. Founded in 1966, it is owned by 69 members, including 50 from the region.
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