During the monsoon, the authorities concerned usually do not permit any department or individual to dig the city roads. Because, if the roads are not filled immediately, it would lead to total inundation alongside a chaotic situation.
However, indiscriminate digging of some 300-kilometer busy roads in the capital for development work is disrupting the free movement of vehicles and causing immense suffering for commuters. The rampant road digging work in the rainy season has also left a narrow space for people to commute to their respective areas.
Both Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) have started digging and renovating work of roads, sewerage lines, medians, and walkways in many busy areas of the capital with the onset of the monsoon. Reportedly, when the construction work on different projects is going on, the two city corporations have begun working to improve the sewerage system to ensure normal water flow in canals inside and around the capital city. Ignoring repeated instructions for avoiding road cutting during the monsoon -- in May, June, July, August and September-most of the works are done during this period. The government agencies do not follow the instruction, making many roads unusable in the overpopulated city during the rains.
Indiscriminate digging of some
300-kilometer busy roads in the
capital for development work is
disrupting the free movement of
vehicles and causing immense
suffering for commuters
As a result, the situation now has taken a turn for the worse in different strategic areas of DSCC and DNCC. Following a moderate spell of rain, the entire area gets submerged and muddy, creating severe traffic congestion and hampering the movement of pedestrians. The rain also causes knee-to-waist waterlogging at different spots of city thoroughfares, adding to the woes of city dwellers. The condition of the roads in those areas, including lanes and by lanes has been ravaged with the arrival of the monsoon.
The city’s residents living in those areas are facing extreme sufferings as many cracks dotted with big potholes are now everywhere on the roads. We see a competition among the agencies as when one starts digging a road during the monsoon, immediately another one fills it to be dug by another, which leaves the road uncomfortable for years. Keeping in mind the ongoing development work like construction and rainy season, the agencies must complete the work immediately to free the city people from immense sufferings. In this regard, the government should compel the agencies to complete the renovation or other necessary work before the arrival of the monsoon.
