Have some 'doya' for Doyagonj!

A crucial road which connects four areas – Dholaikhal, Tikatuli, Dholaipar and Jatrabari – is in a debilitating state, causing immense suffering to commuters and communities living near the juncture. As per our report, Bangladesh Railway is erecting an overhead rail bridge under the Padma Bridge Rail Link Project, completely blocking a lane of the road, while another lane has turned into a small ditch, due to waterlogging. The existing road is filled with so many potholes that commuters report feeling sick from the trip, and it is particularly difficult for patients travelling to and from two diagnostic centres adjacent to the road. All other alternatives to this route are blocked as well, which means commuters have no choice but to make this treacherous journey day in and out. 

The significance of the Doyaganj road has increased substantially since the inauguration of Mawa-Bhanga expressway. It is all the more astonishing, then, that the authorities are so impervious to the road's condition. As is the case with most city-related problems, the authorities concerned seem more interested in playing their favourite "blame game" than taking responsibility to fix the issues. According to Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) officials, the project authorities responsible for building the overhead rail bridge have blocked all drains and have not left any channels open for water to pass. Meanwhile, officials linked with the project blame locals and the DSCC.

The project director, who has apparently been requested by the DSCC to take measures to solve the problem, did not reply to the paper's repeated queries, so we take this column to ask if the allegations of the DSCC are, indeed, true. Why would a multi-billion dollar ambitious government project, which was designed (one would assume) by the most competent and best minds of the country, lead to such problems in the first place? When was the problem first identified, and what steps, if any, were taken by the project authorities to address the glitch since then? 

We also want to draw the attention of the DSCC, whose go-to response to any crisis is to shift the blame to someone else. We are honestly tired of this charade. What have they been doing, since the project first began, to reduce commuters' suffering? Beyond sending a letter to the project authorities – that too, as late as June 26 – have they taken any urgent steps to open up the lanes, fix the potholes, remove waste, reduce waterlogging, and so on? What about the alternative routes that are blocked as well? Have any steps been taken to make them functional so that the pressure on Doyagonj road can be reduced?

The sad story of Doyagonj road is unfortunately an all-too familiar one for city dwellers of the country. We urge the authorities concerned to work together to urgently fix the road and ease the sufferings of the public who already pay too high a price on a daily basis to simply survive in this city.