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DHAKA VIBE

WHEN DEVELOPMENT WORK MAKES DAILY LIFE DIFFICULT

|| HELEMULALAM ||
With bricks, stone chips, sacks of sand and other equipment taking up almost the entire breadth, the road looks more like a dumping zone for construction materials.
Due to an ongoing development work, Dilu Road in Moghbazar remains practically unusable to locals and inaccessible to vehicles. This alley is home to over a hundred families, who have been bearing the brunt of the situation for over a month.
Every day, Subrin Laila has to carry her six-year-old daughter to school.
"Before, 1 would get a rickshaw to take her to school," she told this correspondent recently. "As the work started, it has become very difficult to walk on the road with construction materials and debris everywhere. You can imagine what happens during rain.”
In mid March, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) started the work to set up storm-water drainage line to reduce the area's waterlogging problem.
With rainy season approaching, residents are afraid that their woes would escalate if the situation persists.
"A few days back, I stepped in a pothole in the uneven road and hurt my leg," said Eusha, a student of AG Church School in the area. "I usually go to school with my two younger cousins... now it has become quite a challenge to walk on the street," she added.
Jamal Hossain, a resident of the area, said in the last 15 days he could not use his car or motorbike to commute to work. "Setting up sewerage line is necessary, no doubt, but must it take over a month? Are we just
supposed to sit at home while this drags on?"
He said, "The time to begin the work was not appropriate as it has already started raining. Utility companies should do their works during winter." In less than six months, the road was dug up three times, he claimed, adding that this happened due to lack of coordination.
Meanwhile, many vendors in the area said they are incurring losses.
Sumon Hawladar, a staff member of Narmin General Store, said since the work started, sales have dropped significantly as many customers are avoiding shops on the road.
"Also, no vehicles can enter Dilu Road. I have to carry goods to our store all the way from Bangla Motor-Moghbazar road."
Like Sumon, other vendors
are worried whether the road would be repaired soon as the month of Ramadan begins.
Contacted, DNCC Subassistant Engineer (Zone-3) Ezazul Islam said though a decision to dig this road in dry season was taken during the late mayor Annisul Huq's tenure, they could not implement it after his untimely death as DNCC did not have an elected mayor then.
"Also, the work got delayed due to some tender-related procedural problems. We will try to complete all digging-related development work before rainy season from next year," he said.
"The work on this road will be completed by next month," Ezazul said.
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