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The Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) has unveiled a draft master plan aimed at ensuring planned, sustainable and coordinated development of the port city and its surrounding areas over the next 25 years. Prepared under the Chattogram Metropolitan Area Master Plan Introduction project, the Chattogram Metropolitan Master Plan (CMMP) provides a comprehensive framework for land use, transportation, waterlogging mitigation, environment conservation, housing, economic development, disaster management and the expansion of civic services.
The proposed master plan covers an area of 1,255 square kilometres, including 41 wards of Chattogram city, Hathazari, Raozan, Rangunia, Boalkhali and Patiya municipalities, parts of Anwara, Karnaphuli, Sitakunda upazilas.
The Tk35.90 crore project is scheduled for completion in December this year.
Project Director and CDA Deputy Chief Town Planner Md Abu Issa Anshary said that the previous Chattogram Metropolitan Master Plan 1995-2015 had provided important technical guidance for the city’s development while a Detailed Area Plan was introduced in 2008.
“However, rapid population growth, unplanned urbanisation, changes in land use, the expansion of activities related to the industries and port, traffic congestion, waterlogging, pressure on hills and waterbodies, housing crisis and climate change risks have created new challenges, making it necessary to update and modernise the existing master plan,” he said.
“The new plan aims to transform the Chattogram metropolitan area into a sustainable, disaster-resilient, environment- and investment- friendly, inclusive and future-oriented urban region,” said the project director.
One-city-two-town and satellite towns
The draft plan proposes constructing two new bridges linking Chattogram city with Anwara upazila to implement a One-City-Two-Town concept, which is expected to facilitate planned housing on both banks of the Karnaphuli River, promoting integrated industrial, commercial, transport and civic infrastructure.
The plan also recommends developing satellite towns or growth centres at Anwara, Patiya, Boalkhali, Hathazari and Raozan upazilas following the polycentric growth model to reduce pressure on the main city.
Development of 83 kilometres of new roads, expansion of 230 kilometres of existing roads and updating the design and standards of 62 major intersections were proposed in the plan. It also recommends strengthening direct connectivity among the port, industrial zones, residential areas, regional highways and the proposed satellite towns through an integrated network of primary, secondary and tertiary roads.
Waterlogging mitigation
To address the city’s long-drawn waterlogging crisis, the draft plan proposes excavating new canals, restoring existing ones and developing an integrated drainage system.
Key proposals include excavating 30.4 kilometres of new canals within the metropolitan area and 111.3 kilometres in the greater metropolitan area, setting up 80 silt traps, 31 mechanical waste removal systems, 59 sluice gates, a smart drainage monitoring system, conserving ponds and other waterbodies and mandatory rainwater harvesting in buildings.
It further proposes introducing Transfer of Development Rights to compensate owners of private waterbodies by granting them additional development rights elsewhere in exchange for preserving the waterbodies.
Hill conservation in focus
The master plan recommends declaring the northern hilly areas as an ecologically sensitive area, where new development activities would be prohibited. In other hilly areas, development would be regulated based on slope intensity. The plan also includes action area plans for Anwara, Bakolia-Char Bakolia and Agrabad, along with proposals for housing, parks and recreational facilities, tourism, heritage conservation, and decentralisation of CDA services.
Overall, the master plan identifies 276 development projects across 19 sectors, including transportation, urban development, drainage, Chattogram port, air pollution control, landslide management and solid waste management.
The CDA made the draft master plan available for public review for 60 days from today (Sunday), inviting opinions, objections and suggestions.
The feedback will be reviewed before the plan is finalised and submitted to the government for approval and subsequent gazette notification.Speaking at a press conference held at the CDA conference room, its Chairman Belayet Hossain said the new master plan had been prepared by incorporating lessons from previous plans, implementation challenges and the city’s evolving urban issues.