A tremendous development took place in the city’s southern part in the last four years, claimed Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Sayeed Khokon.
DSCC civic amenity services substantially expanded and its network of services continue to expand offering wider range of public services in the city corporation areas.
However, many problems remain but the DSCC is committed to making the city’s south region a livable place. “We have brought a positive change in the last four years. And we have also been working hard round the clock since four years,” said the DSCC Mayor at a press briefing on Friday. “After taking office, we are working very hard to fulfill citizen’s expectations. The efforts to improve livelihoods continues,” said the Mayor.
During his four-year term in office, the mayor said, he has solved DSCC's basic problems and improved the condition of 85 to 90 percent roads, footpaths, drainage system, and now, working to make DSCC as planned model city. About his future plans, the mayor said he wants to redevelop the old town of Dhaka. Another priority is to implement the master plan devised for the development of newly added eight unions.
The mayor said he will focus mainly on successful implementation of the ongoing projects during his next one year, and citizens will evaluate his development work and contribution as mayor. Khokon revealed massive ongoing projects and information on the completed development programmes on Friday marking the completion of his four years in office.
The mayor said, “In last four years, DSCC renovated and developed some 669.91 kilometers of roads, 631.70 kilometers drains and 133.16 kilometers footpaths while the construction and renovation work of some 600 kilometers road, 500 kilometers drain, and 100 kilometers footpath is going on.” In order to provide safety at night, some 41,133 modern LED street light has been installed in DSCC area whereas the work to install additional 15,000 LED lights in DSCC’s new 18 wards is going on, he said.
To address capital’s waterlogging problem, DSCC cleared garbage from some 497 kilometers open drains and 537 kilometers pipe drains, the mayor said, adding, they resolved four decades waterlogging problem of city’s Shantinagar, Nazimuddin Road, Gonoktuli and Bongshal areas. About newly added eight union, Sayeed Khokon said, “We have completed about 85 percent work of Tk 774 crore project to construct some 167.88 kilometers road, 8.81 kilometers footpaths and 171.65 kilometers drains at Shampur, Donia, Matuail and Sarulia area.”
Besides, at the cost of Tk 515.55 crore, the construction and renovation work of some 81.31 kilometers road, 61.79 kilometers drain, 7.95 kilometers footpath, 12 RCC bridges, 383 meters approach roads at Manda, Demra, Nasirabad, and Dakshingoan union is going on. About anti-food adulteration campaign, he said that DSCC has been launching regular drives against food adulteration. During these campaigns, DSCC collected and tested some 819 food samples and collected Tk 2 crore and 56 lakh in 135 cases. In the city corporation area, 13 government and 19 private kitchen markets have been brought out of formalin.
About public toilets, parks and playgrounds, Khokon said that 25 modern public toilets have been constructed for citizens' use and seven old toilets have been renovated. Apart from this, construction works of more 30 toilets are ongoing and under ‘Jolsobuje Dhaka’ project, 19 parks and 12 playgrounds are under construction, which also includes public toilets.
Besides, Mayor said the DSCC’s has introduced some new bus routes. He also said that waste management, revenue collection automation, installation of digital LED billboard, and removal of illegal billboard are some of the successes. The Mayor also hinted in favour of bifurcation of all service-providing agencies into North and South. The Dhaka City Corporation was split into two separate entities in 2011.
"The prime minister bifurcated the then DCC in 2011 to provide improved services to the citizens which was a wise decision. If 56 service-providing agencies are split into North and South under an umbrella of the two city authorities, service quality will improve," he said. Regarding failure to coordinate various service agencies under the leadership of mayor, Khokon said that lack of coordination among the agencies is one of major difficulties in ensuring proper city management.
He, however, said the capacity of service-providing agencies has not increased in terms of manpower, administrative and financial capacity, keeping pace with the demand of time.