Waterlogging in Dhaka south: Another year, another spell of suffering

With the monsoon setting in, southern part of Dhaka city braces for a fresh spell of waterlogging, as the city corporation has yet to take effective measures to mitigate the perennial problem despite identifying 30 highly vulnerable areas nearly two years ago.

Since the detection of these spots in September 2023, Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has relied on temporary solutions such as using water pumps instead of adopting a sustainable, long-term drainage strategy.

The waterlogging-prone areas include Paltan, Shantinagar, Bailey Road, Kakrail, Gopibagh, Kamalapur, Tikatuli, Agha Sadeq Road, Agamasi Lane, Abdul Hadi Lane, Eskaton Road, a part of Bangabandhu Avenue, the Secretariat, New Market, Bata Signal, Dhanmondi Eidgah Road, Jigatola, Green Road, Nazimuddin Road, Nawabganj Park, Azimpur, RK Mission Road, Abhoy Das Lane, and several parts of Old Dhaka.

In late May, consecutive days of rain inundated several areas in the city's south, including Paltan, Fakirapool, Bangshal, Malibagh, and Shantinagar. In some locations, water remained stagnant for up to 20 hours. DSCC deployed pumps to drain the water, but the effort did little to ease the residents' suffering.

With the Met office forecasting a rise in precipitation this month, experts warn that several parts in the city's south may again face severe waterlogging if it rains heavily for several days in a row.

Dhaka city has a drainage network spanning 2,211 kilometres, with 961km lying in the south. During the tenure of ex-mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, DSCC spent Tk 360 crore to tackle waterlogging. Of the amount, around Tk 100 crore was invested in drainage system for Shantinagar and its surrounding areas, yet severe waterlogging occurs there.

Contacted, Air Commodore Md Mahabubur Rahman Talukder, chief waste management officer of DSCC, said, "We are aware of all the vulnerable areas… Drains, box culverts, and sewerage lines are being cleaned under a project."

The project was launched during Taposh's tenure. No new projects have been taken up since the change in DSCC leadership in August last year.

Talukder said around 35 percent of the ongoing project has been completed, and they hope to finish the rest by November.

DSCC has blamed the persistent waterlogging in New Market on the new structures built in Pilkhana area, blocking drainage lines. Waterlogging on Green Road has been attributed to the construction of the elevated expressway, which disrupted part of the Hatirjheel drainage system.

Asked about the DSCC's initiatives, Talukder said, "It will require around Tk 250 crore to address waterlogging in New Market area alone. It's not possible to spend such a big amount immediately."

He further said DSCC is preparing a project proposal involving Tk 700-800 crore for inclusion in the Annual Development Programme. "We will submit the Development Project Proposal to the authorities concerned as early as possible.

"At this moment, it's not possible to implement a long-term project, which will take at least two to three years. We currently have six small water pumps and plan to purchase six more.

"In late May, we managed to drain stagnant water from the affected areas within 24 hours by using these pumps," he added.

WHAT EXPERTS SAY

Describing unplanned urbanisation as the root cause of persistent waterlogging, urban planner Prof Adil Mohammed Khan said, "The destruction of natural waterbodies, canals, and flood-flow zones has made the city increasingly vulnerable.

"A livable city should have at least 35 to 40 percent open green space and waterbodies, whereas Dhaka now has only 10 percent," said Adil, also the president of Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP).

According to BIP data, in 1995, waterbodies covered 20.57 percent of central Dhaka, which dropped to only 2.9 percent by 2023. Green space, once at 22 percent, now stands at just 9 percent.

Adil pointed out that artificial drainage systems can reduce the duration of waterlogging but they cannot eliminate the problem if natural drainage channels are destroyed.