Water-logging caused by rains paralyses city

Water-logging caused by the monsoon rain almost paralysed the city for about six hours on Monday.
The city experienced 40 millimetre of rainfall during the six-hour long downpour until noon, Bangladesh Meteorological Department director Mohammad Shah Alam told The Financial Express (FE).
The highest 41mm rainfall was recorded in Patuakhali on the day but the overall rainfall was 24mm across the country, the Met office said.
According to the Met office, the rainfall may continue for the next two days due to a low formed in the western part of the Bay of Bengal.  
The heavy downpour started around 8:00am and continued for six hours submerging a number of city streets.
Sporadic rain submerged city's different areas resulting in traffic congestion. The office and school-goers were the worst hit.
Many vehicles broke down on the submerged streets as they were unable to negotiate with the sudden waterlogging as clogged drains were unable to clear the water. It created problems for the people, especially women and children. Some of them had to wade through knee-deep water in the low-lying areas of the city.
Roads in Kalyanpur, Mohammadpur, Asad Gate, Karwan Bazar, Motijheel, Kamalapur, Banani, Kazipara, Shewrapara of Mirpur, Moghbazar, Malibagh, Nayapaltan, Kakrail and Shantinagar, major parts in Old Dhaka, Green Road, Tejturi Bazar and Hazaribagh areas went under ankle-deep water, causing immense sufferings to the commuters particularly office and school-goers.  
Lack of proper and adequate drainage system and poor functioning of sluice gates are among the main causes of waterlogging, bringing immense sufferings to the city dwellers. The wet weather also brought miseries to day- labourers, garment workers and the homeless.
Many CNG-run auto-rickshaws refused to take passengers to different destinations, including Mohammadpur, Mowchak, Malibagh, and Motijheel. They said their vehicles would not be able to cope with the waterlogging in those areas.
Dhaka Water Supply & Sewerage Authority (WASA) officials said they do not have adequate budget for maintenance and protection of drainage system.
Superintending Engineer of Rehabilitation and Development (R&D) Department of WASA Kay Sa Ching told FE that the fund for the drainage development and protection is not enough.
During the fiscal year (FY) 2013-14 R&D department spent Tk 500 million for development and improvement of the drainage system. The projects included building U-channels and pipelines across the city. R&D department also worked for the improvement of Hazaribah canal, Kalu Nagar canal, Ramchandrapur canal and Katasur canal in Mohammadpur area.
The Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Circle of WASA is entrusted with the day-to-day maintenance of the drainage system in the city.
Superintending Engineer of O&M circle Jaki Mostafa also claimed that the fund is insufficient for the city which is expanding day by day.
The O&M department used Tk 200 million during the fiscal year (FY) 2013-14.