The two newly-elected Mayors of Dhaka City Corporations, who, during their electioneering campaigns promised to improve civic amenities of the city dwellers, are now forced to send "SOS" to government officials to save the victims of water logging and traffic jam that have gripped the capital in the wake of a few days of rainfall.  

The public sufferings in the last couple of days have reached such a severe scale that Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), Mohammad Sayeed Khokon and Mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Annisul Huq finally came out of their Nagar Bhabans to convey their sympathies to the citizens but also to assure them of ending their sufferings soon.

Resolving 'water-logging' problem of the capital city has become a huge issue as rainwater floods most of the roads and lanes. City dwellers in several areas of the city can hardly see the soil.

As soon as the rain begins the water starts flooding the roads, turning those into artificial lakes.

Most roads or lanes at Malibagh and Shanti Nagar usually go under knee-to-waist deep water during a moderate rainfall. Water logging persists for a long time even after rain.

The same condition exists on the roads at Mirpur, Mohammadpur, Lalmatia, Dhanmondi, Karwan Bazar, Kakrail, Moghbazar, Mouchak, Rampura, Badda and Kamrangirchar.

As open holes on the roads go under rainwater, passersby as well as vehicles face hardship in moving on the roads and often cause accidents.

DSCC Mayor Khokon said that it would take time to solve the problem.

He said his corporation has already taken initiatives to solve the crisis.

He mentioned the lack of coordination among the departments working to remove waterlogging.

Khokon thinks no particular department can solve the problem due to lack of cooperation among government departments.

DNCC Mayor Annisul Huq said he has instructed his ward councillors to come up with ideas on how to contain waterlogging in the city.

He said that his corporation was going to take up a Tk 200 crore scheme in November to improve drainage and road condition at Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara within two years.

RI