UNB, Dhaka :
With a plan to ease traffic in one of the city’s busiest areas, the construction work on the integrated Moghbazar-Mouchak Flyover Project began in January 2013, but the awfully slow pace in its implementation and careless attitude of the construction firm is taking heavy toll on the commuters and residents of the area in both dry and rainy seasons over the last four years.
The situation now has taken a turn for the worse in the capital’s Shantinagar, Mouchak and Malibagh areas as the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) are also carrying out development works digging up roads beneath the under-construction flyover.
Following a moderate spell of rain on Friday, the entire area got submerged and muddy, creating severe traffic congestion and hampering the movement of pedestrians. “The situation in Mouchak and Malibagh areas is now chaotic, and it gets worse during the rush hours, especially with bad and dug-up roads filled with water and mud due to the apathy of the flyover construction firm and other development agencies to public sufferings,” said Abdul Mazed, a banker and resident of Siddheswari who takes this route every day to go to work.
“We’ve no respite from the sufferings of the flyover construction work.
We are exposed to the unchecked discharge of dust and severe air pollution from the flyover, and other construction works during dry season while we face water-logging and mud during rainy season, making movement harder,” he observed.
Tanjibul Alam, a student of East West University who lives near Malibagh-rail crossing, said living in the area has now become extremely difficult due to the uncoordinated work of the flyover construction and other development works.
“The road from Mouchak to Malibagh has remained closed for over two months as the DSCC is installing big rings for improving the drainage system digging the road. They cut the road leaving no space for the movement of pedestrians, let alone vehicles,” said Tanjibul. Johora Roy, a housewife who lives in Shantinagar, said the flyover construction authorities seem to be least bothered about the sufferings of pedestrians as they keep their instruments, vehicles, girders and other materials haphazardly parked blocking roads.
“The existing roads have already become narrower for the construction of pillars for the flyover. If the girders and other materials are kept on the road, it becomes difficult for vehicles and pedestrians to move on. They [authorities] hardly think of it,” she complained. Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED) under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives is implementing this mega project. Contacted, the authorities of the LGED and the Dhaka City Corporation blamed each other for the mess and the public sufferings.
LGED Executive Engineer Mahbub Imam Morshed said the movement of pedestrians is being obstructed due to the development works being carried out by the DSCC and DPDC under the flyover in the areas.
He said, the DPDC is installing high-voltage electricity lines digging up the road while the DSCC is renovating its drainage system. “Now there’s no flyover work left on the ground. We’re now working on flyover pillars. Rather, we can’t work properly for the development works of the DSCC and DPDC.”
He hoped that the flyover construction work will be completed by the extended time of June next.
DSCC Chief Executive Officer Khan Mohammad Bilal said the mayor has recently held a meeting with the flyover construction firm authorities and asked them to free the roads under the flyover to ensure smooth movement of vehicles and pedestrians. Local firm Toma Constructions is the company contracted by the government to build the flyover. “It’s the commitment of the construction firm for implementing the flyover project keeping the roads under it suitable for the movement of vehicles and pedestrians,” he added.
As his attention was drawn to LGED’s allegation that the development works being carried out by the DSCC and the DPDC are hampering the movement of pedestrians, Bilal said they have put a stop to the work following an instruction of the mayor. Susanta Kumar Pal, the executive engineer of LGED and also the Project Director of Moghbazar-Mouchak Flyover project, told UNB that all-out efforts are there to open the flyover’s Kakrail-Rampura portion to traffic by June this year. Asked about the commitment of the construction company not to hamper the existing traffic during the project work, he said, “We’re trying to keep the vehicular movement normal, but it’s still being hampered as the roads are narrow.”
About keeping traffic closed on one side of the road from Mouchak to Malibagh rail-crossing for over two months, the Project Director said it is the DSCC that stooped the vehicular movement for renovating its drainage system. Contacted, chief executive of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers’ Association (Bela) Syeda Rizwana Hasan said every construction firm has to sign an agreement with the government that the implementation of its development project will not harm the environment and obstruct the movement of pedestrians. “Unfortunately, most companies here don’t abide by that practice.”
With a plan to ease traffic in one of the city’s busiest areas, the construction work on the integrated Moghbazar-Mouchak Flyover Project began in January 2013, but the awfully slow pace in its implementation and careless attitude of the construction firm is taking heavy toll on the commuters and residents of the area in both dry and rainy seasons over the last four years.
The situation now has taken a turn for the worse in the capital’s Shantinagar, Mouchak and Malibagh areas as the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka Power Distribution Company (DPDC) are also carrying out development works digging up roads beneath the under-construction flyover.
Following a moderate spell of rain on Friday, the entire area got submerged and muddy, creating severe traffic congestion and hampering the movement of pedestrians. “The situation in Mouchak and Malibagh areas is now chaotic, and it gets worse during the rush hours, especially with bad and dug-up roads filled with water and mud due to the apathy of the flyover construction firm and other development agencies to public sufferings,” said Abdul Mazed, a banker and resident of Siddheswari who takes this route every day to go to work.
“We’ve no respite from the sufferings of the flyover construction work.
We are exposed to the unchecked discharge of dust and severe air pollution from the flyover, and other construction works during dry season while we face water-logging and mud during rainy season, making movement harder,” he observed.
Tanjibul Alam, a student of East West University who lives near Malibagh-rail crossing, said living in the area has now become extremely difficult due to the uncoordinated work of the flyover construction and other development works.
“The road from Mouchak to Malibagh has remained closed for over two months as the DSCC is installing big rings for improving the drainage system digging the road. They cut the road leaving no space for the movement of pedestrians, let alone vehicles,” said Tanjibul. Johora Roy, a housewife who lives in Shantinagar, said the flyover construction authorities seem to be least bothered about the sufferings of pedestrians as they keep their instruments, vehicles, girders and other materials haphazardly parked blocking roads.
“The existing roads have already become narrower for the construction of pillars for the flyover. If the girders and other materials are kept on the road, it becomes difficult for vehicles and pedestrians to move on. They [authorities] hardly think of it,” she complained. Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED) under the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Co-operatives is implementing this mega project. Contacted, the authorities of the LGED and the Dhaka City Corporation blamed each other for the mess and the public sufferings.
LGED Executive Engineer Mahbub Imam Morshed said the movement of pedestrians is being obstructed due to the development works being carried out by the DSCC and DPDC under the flyover in the areas.
He said, the DPDC is installing high-voltage electricity lines digging up the road while the DSCC is renovating its drainage system. “Now there’s no flyover work left on the ground. We’re now working on flyover pillars. Rather, we can’t work properly for the development works of the DSCC and DPDC.”
He hoped that the flyover construction work will be completed by the extended time of June next.
DSCC Chief Executive Officer Khan Mohammad Bilal said the mayor has recently held a meeting with the flyover construction firm authorities and asked them to free the roads under the flyover to ensure smooth movement of vehicles and pedestrians. Local firm Toma Constructions is the company contracted by the government to build the flyover. “It’s the commitment of the construction firm for implementing the flyover project keeping the roads under it suitable for the movement of vehicles and pedestrians,” he added.
As his attention was drawn to LGED’s allegation that the development works being carried out by the DSCC and the DPDC are hampering the movement of pedestrians, Bilal said they have put a stop to the work following an instruction of the mayor. Susanta Kumar Pal, the executive engineer of LGED and also the Project Director of Moghbazar-Mouchak Flyover project, told UNB that all-out efforts are there to open the flyover’s Kakrail-Rampura portion to traffic by June this year. Asked about the commitment of the construction company not to hamper the existing traffic during the project work, he said, “We’re trying to keep the vehicular movement normal, but it’s still being hampered as the roads are narrow.”
About keeping traffic closed on one side of the road from Mouchak to Malibagh rail-crossing for over two months, the Project Director said it is the DSCC that stooped the vehicular movement for renovating its drainage system. Contacted, chief executive of Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers’ Association (Bela) Syeda Rizwana Hasan said every construction firm has to sign an agreement with the government that the implementation of its development project will not harm the environment and obstruct the movement of pedestrians. “Unfortunately, most companies here don’t abide by that practice.”
