Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) recovered land worth around Tk 100 crore from illegal occupation since its eviction drives that began on January 17 as part of the coordinated efforts initiated by Army with a view to streamlining the traffic movement and planned growth of the port city.

At the changing scenario after a silence of several months, Japan Bank of International Corporation (JBIC) came back to help CDA implement three major development projects worth Tk 1380 crore, CDA Chairman Shah Mohammad Akhteruddin said.

A high-powered JBIC team arrived here on a three-day visit on Sunday and held meetings with the concerned authorities of CDA, Roads and Highway, Chittagong Port Authority (CPA), Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) and Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (Cuet).

JBIC delegates at the meetings with the development authorities has shown interest in implementing two projects, including Chittagong Bypass Road and River Embankment-cum Ring Road.

Construction of the Chittagong Bypass, a four-lane road between Dhaka and Trunk Road and the proposed 4th bridge on the river Karnaphuli on the north of the city would involve Tk 480 crore while that of River Embankment-cum Ring Road stretching from Sadarghat to Kalurghat along the river Karnaphuli would involve Tk 340 crore, CDA sources said.

Another project for construction of a coastal road from Patenga to Faujdarhat will involve Tk 560 crore, they said.

JBIC proposed for construction of the roads after it carried out a study under an agreement with the government for infrastructural development in Chittagong, sources added .

But, since submission of the report by the middle of last year JBIC kept silence regarding implementation of the projects until its delegation's visit on Sunday, sources said.

"The delegation held meeting with CCC mayor on and is likely to stay for another day to discuss different aspects of the infrastructural development in Chittagong," said CDA chairman Akhter.

"Within two weeks a technical team of JBIC is expected to visit Chittagong to finalise the feasibility report and consequent implementation of two projects," he said.

They were also interested in the development of overall infrastructure focusing mainly on road network here, he added.

Earlier, a good number of road network and infrastructure development projects could not be implemented as the land falling inside the road alignment or acquired land could not be recovered, sources said.

The joint efforts, however, paved the way for going ahead with the development projects CDA took up under a comprehensive and integral planning.

"CDA wants to develop the city under an comprehensive plan to improve traffic system, enhance quality of life and create jobs, creating more urban villages," Akhter said on Thursday.

"The efforts have created a scope for developing the city as CDA dreamt of," he said.

Eviction drives already helped CDA to develop two new bus stands --- one for inter-district buses of Chittagong-Dhaka route on 164 katha of land at Faujdarhat and the other for buses of Chittagong-Rangamati and Chittagong-Khagrachhari routes on over 120 katha of land at Oxygen Intersection.

Of 52.436 acres (equivalent to 3233.77 katha) of land worth over Tk 110.53 crore, only a few land remained yet to be recovered, sources said.

CDA expects to recover rest of the occupied land before February 15, sources added.

Besides, CDA started a drive to demolish some 1540 structures, including high-rise buildings, yesterday at different areas of Bayezid Bostami Road , Sadarghat Road and Firingee Bazar.

Of these buildings, 340 were in a most dilapidated and miserable state posing a risk of accident any time, sources said.