INCESSANT downpour in late afternoon in the city over the past two days coupled with traffic gridlock and digging of streets by WASA have left the life in metropolis Dhaka terrible to commuters to and from office and businesses. Very often the city goes under knee-deep water on small rainfall. The New Nation has run a story titled ‘Unliveable City’ on Friday highlighting the perils of the city dwellers but what is noticeable is that there is hardly anyone to address these problems or claim that they are really capable to do it either. These problems can’t be removed overnight as well. But work about making Dhaka an efficiently run city must start from now. In fact a chaotic situation is everywhere. Many road intersections are inaccessible to pedestrians for traffic gridlock. Last two days downpour has further aggravated the perils taking the people total hostage to incompetent city traffic management and sewerage system. Its low-lying areas were almost submerged for several hours when roads and city lanes turned into canals from water logging. The poor sewerage system is not working at most places. This is monsoon time and traffic jam and road digging are only adding to the suffering of the people in this fasting month of Ramzan. Commuters in Dhaka suffered the worst in the past few days as small number of buses, mini-buses and auto-rickshaws were on the roads in the rain. Unlike heavy traffic jam in a dry mid-day, transport scarcity in rain and water logging left thousands stranded at many city intersections for a vehicle. CNG-run three-wheelers remained by and large off the road for water logging and where they drive, demanded exorbitant fares. Paddle rickshaws were only help at high cost but not to long distance passengers. Similar critical situation is reported yesterday from Chittagaon city and other mega cities. Dhaka is a metropolis but almost unliveable because the city managers like the people of City Corporation and Traffic Control Department have proved total incompetent to create the city infrastructure worthy of a modern city. There is no efficiently run transport and traffic control system free from water logging. Vendors have occupied city footpaths, but police are helpless. The city must have metro rails and under-ground tubes to operate a mass transport system. But it remains a far cry so far. Even long haul buses are failing to take to the city streets for government failure or opposition from private operators. They are running small, dilapidated buses without fitness, which is also adding to city pollution. Dhaka’s air is worst polluted now affecting human health. Road digging by utility providers is most strikingly taking place in city streets in rainy season. It is going without coordinated planning. High-rise buildings are overcrowding the city lines however without properly designed structural planning. Drainage is not properly developed with private housing and narrow road access to residential areas remains the biggest threat to any rescue operation from disasters like earthquake. It is high time that greater Dhaka city must implement an integrated master plan for development with proper drainage and surface, underground and elevated express ways to make it a liveable city.
