No relief from seasonal waterlogging
Over the last four years, the two city corporations of Dhaka have spent at least Tk 730 crore to resolve its waterlogging problem. But for all that spending, there is still no sign of improvement, as Friday's rains and resultant public sufferings have once again demonstrated. The downpour, which started in the early hours and continued until noon, flooded many streets and homes, causing disruptions across the city. Some areas, especially in DSCC, would remain under water even 30 hours after the rain had stopped. This is notable because the DSCC mayor, in February last year, had promised swift drainage of water—within just 15 minutes—after heavy monsoon rains. Are we to forget all such promises? How is it that a government frequently reminding us of its development success cannot bring any semblance of development to this particular sector?
According to our report, people who went out on Friday endured immense sufferings, as they had to wade through knee-to-waist-deep water to reach their destinations. Public transport was scarce, but heavy congestion still ensued in some flooded streets as a number of vehicles broke down. While talking to this daily, some commuters described how they had to switch multiple vehicles to get to their destinations. Meanwhile, rainwater infiltrated underground parking spaces, reservoirs, and ground floors of residential buildings, with many seen trying to pump it out. Many shops were also affected, with stored goods being damaged.
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City planners say it is the inadequate drainage system—not the rainfall—that floods our streets. In Dhaka, the Met office recorded 130mm of rainfall in just six hours on Friday. It was a heavy downpour by every measure. But, as an expert at the Bangladesh Institute of Planners (BIP) has said, the city's drainage system cannot clear out water even after a moderate 55-60mm of rainfall, as excess water cannot flow into the rivers or retention ponds because of the clogging of surface drains and connected canals. Crores of taka have been spent to remove waste from these drains and canals and to recover the latter from encroachers. Even the transfer of ownership of canals from Dhaka WASA to the city corporations did not help the situation.
We cannot emphasise enough the urgency of addressing this waterlogging nightmare in Dhaka and elsewhere. The failure of city authorities, despite substantial investments and countless promises made over the years, demands a proper response. We urge the authorities to take comprehensive measures to fix, upgrade, and properly maintain the drainage system, and go hard against those encroaching the canals. Furthermore, unregulated development that leads to the loss of canals and low-lying areas must be halted.
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