City dwellers will have to struggle with waterlogging and submerged roads in the aftermath of heavy rainfall during this monsoon too, as the poor drainage system has not been improved as yet.
Construction and renovation of some big drainage projects in Dhaka that started in October last year have not been completed until now, sources said.
Experts said that lack of coordination and planning coupled with slow progress of drainage construction work are the main barriers to sustainable solution of the city’s waterlogging problem.
Besides, filling up of sewerage lines with dust, construction materials and garbage will result in severe waterlogging this year, concerned people said.
Meanwhile, the people of many areas in the capital already suffered from water logging for a few days this month following rain.
According to two city corporation sources, some 59 areas of the capital were inundated due to light rains. Of these, 29 are in the north and 30 in the south of Dhaka.
Most of the drainage channels in these areas have become ineffective.
According to the concerned sources, the two city corporations of Dhaka had taken up several projects to alleviate the city dwellers from waterlogging, and problems have been solved in several areas.
However, the renovation and construction work of big surface drains of Dhaka WASA have been left unfinished in many areas.
Azmir Hossain, a resident of the capital’s Uttara area, said, “The surrounding roads become muddy even from a little rain. The environment is being polluted with dust and sand from the same place, if it doesn’t rain.”
It is known that some 29 waterlogging-prone areas of DNCC are-- Ashkona, Army Stadium to Banani Road No. 27, Mirpur Journalist Colony Area, Nayatola Shaheed Abdul Wahab Road, North Begunbari, Mohammadpur, Lalmatia, Kazipara, Shewrapara, East Manipur, South Manipur, Pirerbagh, Mirpur 10, Mirpur 13, Banglamotor, Madhubagh, Shashabbari, Kawranbazar TCB Building area, Shahid Tajuddin Ahmed Sarani, Nikunj-1, Nikunj-2, East Nakhalpara, Paglarpur, East Rajabazar, West Rajabazar, Tejturi Bazar Garden Road, Green Road and Uttara Sector no 4.
It is known that although renovation work of drainage, box-culvert and pipelines started long ago, it has not been finished as yet.
Construction of a drainage pipeline from DNCC Shaista-Khan Avenue to Mymensingh Road is underway to alleviate water logging in the Uttara area, a DNCC official said.
Besides, Dhaka WASA has dug upstream of Kasaibari canal including construction of the CAAB's box culvert drainage line from railway culvert. The condition of Dakshin Khan and Turag police station has been deplorable for a long time.
Visiting some areas in Uttara, this correspondent found that the renovation and construction of roads and drainage in Sector 4, Sector 6 of Uttara have been at a standstill since October last year.
Besides, development works of different sectors have also remained idle.
According to the DSCC list, some 30 waterlogging-prone places are Dhanmondi Road No 27, Newmarket Bicycle Stand, Eskaton Road, Awami League Central Office Area of Bangabandhu Avenue, Nazimuddin Road, Ganakatuli City Colony, Nawabganj Park, Jhigatala, Bangshal KP Ghosh Street Kasaituli, Agasadek Road, Agamasi Lane, Abdul Hadi Lane, Road in front of Bangladesh Field, Majed Sardar Road, Kazi Alauddin Road, Nazira Bazar, Siddique Bazar and Alu Bazar, Awlad Hossain Lane and Nabra Lane, Miyazan Alley, Madrasa Alley, Rishi Para, Road adjacent to KM Das Lane, RK Mission Road and Abhaydas Lane, Gopibagh Bazar Road and Dhalpur Staff Quarters and Dhalpur WASA Road.
In these areas, people have already suffered due to the rains of the last few days.
Sirajul Islam, chief town planner of DSCC, said, “We have removed waterlogging in some problem areas through constructing small drains. However, Dhaka WASA is the owner of large drainage drains. Water flows through our drain to the WASA drain. Now it depends on the WASA drain or box culvert.”
In this context, General Secretary of Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) and Professor of Urban and Planning at Jahangirnagar University Adil Mohammad Khan told Bangladesh Post, “A big action plan has to be made in order to free Dhaka waterlogging. All the agencies have to make a coordinate plan on how to get the water out of an area and by which route. Then you have to start working. Otherwise, there will be problems with each area year after year.”