Circular waterway for Dhaka
Wednesday, 17 October 2007
THERE was noted much enthusiasm for the circular waterway project for Dhaka when it was officially inaugurated in March last year. The first phase of it was reportedly completed at a cost of Taka 360 million and work was carried out on 29.50 km of the river routes. But work on the next phase of the project covering 40 km of waterways at a cost of Taka 1.03 billion , was brought to a close reportedly for the ECNEC's refusal to approve it.
For all practical purposes , the circular waterway project for Dhaka has, thus, been abandoned. It would likely add to the number of promising but aborted projects which are many in number. The outcome of the latest decision about abandoning the circular waterway project for Dhaka will be damaging on two counts. First of all, the amount of money spent so far on the circular waterway project must be seen as a total waste of precious resources since no benefit would be coming from it. The inability to fully implement the project will mean that a very large number of people who would surely be helped on a regular basis from its implementation can no more expect the same.
Mass transportation is a very big problem faced by the people of Dhaka city. All parts of the city face continuous traffic jams. The jams will only get worse and worse with the city's population rising further. Thus, creation of the circular waterway would have meant relief for the city's existing commuters and the taking of preparation for the swelling number of such commuters in the future. But this prospect has now been frustrated.
One will only hope that the authorities concerned will appreciate the need for a full revival of this vital project at the earliest and the caretaker government will respond positively to the same.
Md Mahfuzullah
Shantinagar, Dhaka
For all practical purposes , the circular waterway project for Dhaka has, thus, been abandoned. It would likely add to the number of promising but aborted projects which are many in number. The outcome of the latest decision about abandoning the circular waterway project for Dhaka will be damaging on two counts. First of all, the amount of money spent so far on the circular waterway project must be seen as a total waste of precious resources since no benefit would be coming from it. The inability to fully implement the project will mean that a very large number of people who would surely be helped on a regular basis from its implementation can no more expect the same.
Mass transportation is a very big problem faced by the people of Dhaka city. All parts of the city face continuous traffic jams. The jams will only get worse and worse with the city's population rising further. Thus, creation of the circular waterway would have meant relief for the city's existing commuters and the taking of preparation for the swelling number of such commuters in the future. But this prospect has now been frustrated.
One will only hope that the authorities concerned will appreciate the need for a full revival of this vital project at the earliest and the caretaker government will respond positively to the same.
Md Mahfuzullah
Shantinagar, Dhaka