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to clean all four culverts within one month, although the full project may take up to five months. We have also procured portable pumps for emergency drainage and repaired existing outlets for immediate use.”

As part of canal restoration efforts, projects are ongoing to restore flow and improve the environment of Jirani, Shyampur, Kalunagar, and Manda canals, he added.

Stressing public awareness, Salam said that maintaining a clean city and reducing waterlogging is an equally shared responsibility among the residents and the city corporation.

He urged residents not to dispose of waste in drains or canals and to avoid the use of polythene bags and keep their surroundings clean -- especially before monsoon -- and to dispel stagnant water to prevent mosquito breeding and thereby reduce the risks of diseases such as dengue and chikungunya.

Salam further added that once the approximately 2.85-km-long culvert -- stretching from Shilpakala Academy to the TT Para pump station -- is cleaned, around 10 lakh residents of Segunbagicha, the Secretariat area, Paltan, Motijheel, Nayapaltan, and nearby areas will directly be benefited.

The administrator mentioned that six new portable pumps have been kept ready to quickly remove accumulated water after heavy rainfall. Additionally, two permanent pump stations under the DSCC have been made fully operational.

A consulting firm has been appointed to modernise the drainage master plan received from Dhaka WASA, and long-term work will be carried out based on their recommendations, he added.