CHITTAGONG, Jan 18: The foreign consultants, contractors and engineers engaged in the development activities related with Chittagong WASA projects today explained the causes of delay in the pipeline construction and other related works and sufferings of the commuters on the roads and highways.
At a joint press conference organised by foreign consultants, contractors, engineers and local project officials at the Chittagong Press Club today, they said the construction of pipelines for water supply in the city under the JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) project of Chittagong WASA (Water and Sewerage Authority) would be completed by March-April.
The press conference was arranged by the foreigners themselves following allegations from the local people that they are suffering due to excessive delay in the pipeline construction of Chittagong WASA on the busy roads.
About 95 per cent work of the project under Rangunia section and 65 per cent works under Raozan section on the Chittagong-Rangamati Highway have already been completed.
Construction of the pipelines is very complicated and highly technical.
On the comparatively less wide roads of Chittagong they are constructing three feet and two feet diameter pipelines.
As per contract they were supposed to dig pipelines of five feet in depth but they need to dig up to 20 feet underground because of the existing pipelines of the Power Development Board, WASA, BTCL and the phone operators.
To construct a 27-feet pipeline they have to remove 100 metric tons of earth.
But they are trying their best to lessen the sufferings of the people.
They are doing the digging and construction works at night time to facilitate hassle-free plying of vehicles on the road.
The work of transmission pipeline of the Karnaphuli Water Supply Project-2 of Chittagong WASA will be completed in 2019 and that of distribution pipeline will be completed in 2022, they informed.
The foreign contractors recalled the months-long heavy downpour, land slide, lasting water logging and other calamities in some areas in 2017 which forced them to suspend construction activities.
They stated that representatives of the development support organisations working in Bangladesh were called back by their authorities in the respective countries following the Gulshan hotel attack in 2016.
But they did not leave Bangladesh as they were requested by the Bangladesh government and other project authorities including the Managing Director of Chittagong WASA.
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