Dhaka South City Corporation’s (DSCC) thoroughfares and streets resemble a mess of potholed and muddy canals because of a lack of proper monitoring and maintenance.
Although the DSCC engineering department spent Tk256 crore on maintaining roads, drains and traffic systems over the last two fiscal years, a large number of DSCC roads, streets and drains were seriously run-down.
In spite of the large outlay of public money, DSCC engineering department officials said they weren’t bound to answer questions posed by the media, while the corporation’s high-ups said repair work on dilapidated roads and streets had been delayed due to a lack of sufficient funds.
Residents of Shukrabad, Panthopath, Kathalbagan, parts of Kalabagan, Lalbagh, Azimpur, Jhigatala and Hazaribagh said the maintenance of thoroughfares and lanes in those areas had not been done properly.
Shafiqul Islam, a resident of Shukrabad, said city personnel had turned a blind eye to long-standing issues such as potholes and a lack of proper drainage in the area.
“The terrible condition of the streets inside residential areas makes it difficult to drive on them. Most vehicles use the main road, running from Panthopath signal to Russel Square, resulting in traffic jams,” he said.
Shafiqul said conditions worsened during the monsoon season when the entire area goes under knee-deep water as rain water collects because there isn’t an adequate drainage system.
The sentiment was echoed by Nahid Akhter, resident of West Panthopath, who added: “Some streets in the area are so waterlogged they are unusable.”
Streets in Shukrabad and parts of West Rajabazar and Tolabagh and the adjoining area of Sobhanbagh Government Staff Colony resembled muddy rural dirt paths.
Road work across Lalbagh and Azimpur in old Dhaka, leaving roads dug-up or drilled into, was left unfinished for months.
Akbar Ali, a resident of Kazi Riaz Uddin road in Lalbagh, said: “Most internal streets in Lalbagh are flooded during most of monsoon.”
During a recent visit to the Lalbagh and its adjoining areas, the Dhaka Tribune found most drains open and uncovered.
When contacted, DSCC Chief Engineer Md Zahangir Alam refused to answer questions put by the Dhaka Tribune about the issue.
“I am not bound to explain everything to the press. You write what you think... do not disturb me any more,” he said angrily.
Md Ansar Ali Khan, chief executive officer of DSCC, said: “We do not have sufficient funds to repair and reconstruct all the roads.”
“We will see to repairs if there are sufficient funds,” he said.