The volume of Dhaka City's size in men and vehicles has been steadily building up to a monstrous proportion. The unchecked growth of slow-moving rickshaws all over the city compounded by the similarly proliferating mechanised vehicles has created such a horrendous situation that at present there are hardly any roads in the city whose intersections are free from long-term spell of wait to allow movement of vehicular traffic of various descriptions in alternative directions.

Lately some new ideas are being aired as possible means of easing the congestion. We have already a surfeit of plans and ideas as viable modus operand! for tackling the ever growing city congestion. Ambitious plans inis behalf with substantial volume of foreign aid for constructing fly-overs, by-Sass roads etc. are frequently eard. But there has been very scanty evidence so far of solid achievement by way of their implementation. While the interminable debate on possible relief in this sector continues, the size of the city with its population and their infrastructural needs suffering under severe strain has been bloating all the time.

In this context, the all-im-

portant point raised in a recent seminar has "been that it is worthwhile to construct a circular water way around the capital as a means of easing the traffic congestion and facilitating drainage of flood water. Elucidating the idea, it has been stated that protection of lakes, ponds, and wet lands in and around the capital and keeping the drainage channels open are imperative needs for maintaining healthy environment in the city.

Observers find several snags in the proposal which may seem utopian for constructing circular waterways around the city. Though emphasis was laid on putting a stop to the filling up of lakes and other water bodies around Dhaka city and allowing reservation of water in them, it has been felt, by and large, that such ideas may not go far enough for all practical purposes. The reasons seem to be very much obvious. We may not lose sight cf the fact that a building spree in the city is very much in the ascendant. With the result that it may not be very far-fetched to fore-see that the building spree would spare vAy little of the waterways around the city which could be utilized for any other purpose except house-building, considering the prevailing building

Against this background, the more practical suggestion appears to relate to the government decision to develop a good number of satellite and new model towns around Dhaka city. The proposed satellite and new towns are said to include Purbachal New Town Project. Expanded Uttara Model Town Project. Purba Baridhara Project. and Dhansona New Town Project. Along with this, it has been stated that in view of the need for expansion of the city area with tne fast increase in population, traffic and other loads, the government has already taken up a plan to expand the area of Dhaka city to 1.529 kms under a master plan.

All this appears quite impressive on paper. Ine main questions relate to issues of substantial funding and speed of implementation of those projects. If these projeets raise only hopes in people s minds without any prospect of their implementation in the near future, the consequences will be only greater suffering of the growing population with the ominous threat of a possible backlash. That is why the implications of all the proposed projects are so much vital for the country's future.