No respite for Gulshan until 2017

If you visit Dhaka’s Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara areas nowadays, you will have to brace yourself for never-ending traffic, dust and mud. And there is always a risk that you may even fall into a ditch. The posh areas are now undergoing a development work including widespread road digging, which has led to this miserable situation.

The city dwellers must endure this situation until 2017, says Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC).

While visiting the area recently, The Daily Star found that the authorities have not taken adequate safety measures around the dug up roads. They also had not thought of offering the commuters with alternate routes to minimise the sufferings.

The DNCC embarked on this two-year long development project costing Tk 200 crore in Gulshan, Banani and Baridhara from September last year. The purpose of this project is to build a storm sewerage system, and widen and beautify the streets.

The first part of the project ends before this October. The remaining works will end a year later.

Chief Engineer of DNCC, Brig Gen Syeed Anwarul Islam says that their ultimate objective was to reduce suffering of the people.
"We are aware that people are facing difficulties on the streets now. I would request them to be patient. We are trying hard to complete this project within the given deadline," he said.