Facilitating water transportation around Dhaka city
Saturday, 29 August 2009
There was noted much enthusiasm for a project when it was officially inaugurated about three years ago. 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 much higher cost was brought to a close following the refusal of the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) to approve it .
For all practical purposes , the circular waterway project for Dhaka has been abandoned. It would likely add to the number of promising but aborted projects which are many in number. The outcome of the ECNEC's decision is 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 mean relief for the city's commuters and the taking of preparation for the swelling number of such commuters in the future. But this prospect has been frustrated by ECNEC's poor decision .
One will only hope that residents of Dhaka will create a clamour for a full revival of this vital project. Of late, there is an encourging sign about it. Hints have, thus, come from the functionaries of and the present government about making arrangements for transportation by waterways in and around the capital city easier.
Mass transportation in Dhaka city is becoming more and more a very serious problem and every effort needs to be made to contribute towards solving it on a sustainable basis. Thus, the waterway project for the city deserves a priority attention of the government.
Ashraf Ali Tarafdar
Babar Road
Mohammadpur, Dhaka.
For all practical purposes , the circular waterway project for Dhaka has been abandoned. It would likely add to the number of promising but aborted projects which are many in number. The outcome of the ECNEC's decision is 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 mean relief for the city's commuters and the taking of preparation for the swelling number of such commuters in the future. But this prospect has been frustrated by ECNEC's poor decision .
One will only hope that residents of Dhaka will create a clamour for a full revival of this vital project. Of late, there is an encourging sign about it. Hints have, thus, come from the functionaries of and the present government about making arrangements for transportation by waterways in and around the capital city easier.
Mass transportation in Dhaka city is becoming more and more a very serious problem and every effort needs to be made to contribute towards solving it on a sustainable basis. Thus, the waterway project for the city deserves a priority attention of the government.
Ashraf Ali Tarafdar
Babar Road
Mohammadpur, Dhaka.