Road and footpath improvement works

The Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has been doing the work of road improvement, storm drainage and construction of roadside drains and footpaths in the Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara areas. While we appreciate the good initiative taken by the DNCC, we feel that there are some issues that the city authorities should give attention to.

In Dhaka, road development work usually comes with many hazards as the concerned authorities usually show total disregard for public safety. In most of the cases, piles of earth are left beside the dug-up spots for an indefinite period and newly built concrete slabs and other construction materials are left in the middle of the roads, creating obstacles for the passers-by. Chances of accidents in these spots are also very high as anyone can fall into the dug up holes anytime, as there are usually no safety barriers.

Moreover, such practices contribute to the traffic congestion in the nearby roads. And, needless to say, this type of unorganised construction work pollutes the city's air causing a serious threat to public health.

One of the biggest bottlenecks of any development work that entails road digging is a lack of coordination of all the agencies that are involved. This has to be solved so that roads are not dug up again and again by different agencies for different purposes leading to prolonged public suffering and a waste of taxpayers' money.  

We are happy to know that the city corporations already have a policy regarding this. According to the policy, the dug-up mud must be removed immediately, visible barriers and signals with coloured electric lights during night time must be put up for public safety. Thus while undertaking development works for road improvements, the city corporations and other relevant authorities must comply with these safety rules.