Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Annisul Huq has suggested that Wasa and Rajuk hand over the charge of managing the city's 26 canals to the two city corporations for better management and to reduce waterlogging.
“The canals in and around Dhaka carry the discharged drain and sewage water of the city. The city corporations cannot take any effective step to stop waterlogging since the canals are managed by Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (Wasa) and Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk),” he told a discussion Wednesday.
The event organised by Urban Lab of Bangladesh University at Mohammadpur was also addressed by ruling party lawmaker Jahangir Kabir Nanak, Urban Lab's Convener Architect Iqbal Habib and BU's Trusty Board Chairman Kazi Jamil Azhar. At the programme, Urban Lab published three study reports on the city's roads and traffic system.
Annisul said that the main reason behind waterlogging during heavy rains is illegal occupation of most of the canals. “Sometimes Wasa, Rajuk and the city corporations authorities blame each other for the waterlogging.”
The mayor also warned that the city roads and footpaths in Bashundhara Road, Mirpur Road, Airport Road areas would be freed from grabbers and hawkers. It will ease traffic congestion while the city dwellers would be able to move without hassles.