RESIDENTS of Dhaka city are facing immeasurable distresses resulting from excavation of roads for several months in the name of improving utility services. Excavating roads throughout the monsoon season every year has become a regular phenomenon. There is no coordination between the city corporations and other utility service providers of the government. So, the city roads are being dug anytime anywhere. The organisations conducting such digging are WASA, DPDC, BTCL and DCCs, and it is a never-ending process. The worst sufferers are the commuters who have to negotiate these roads every day. Diggings also affect vehicular movement and longer time is required to go from one place to another thus wasting valuable man hours. Sometimes the dwellers of some areas can not also use transports like rickshaws as alternative roads are unsuitable. It is simply tormenting for the commuters. The situation becomes worse during rainy season as travelling on foot through the muddy and slippery road is unsafe. Then rickshaw-pullers press for more fares. Pedestrians lose their balance on the road and fall into potholes. Auto-rickshaws slipping into holes is a common occurrence. Motorcycles falling into the ditch are also not rare. Ambulance and fire brigade vehicles cannot proceed quickly because of grid locks caused by excavation work. Construction materials are stacked beside some roads which further aggravates the situation. Experts opine that the July-June financial year is a stumbling-block for completing development works in time. If financial year is calculated from January to December, it would be easier and more convenient to finish the task before the rainy season. City authorities and utility service providers should seriously consider the matter. Above all, synchronisation among different agencies involved is essential. At the same time, the authorities of different agencies must hire appropriate manpower and procure equipment of improved technology to accelerate the works.
Md. Ruhul Amin
Asstt.Vice President
Islami Bank Bangladesh Ltd.
Beanibazar Branch, Sylhet.
ruhul_happy01@yahoo.com
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