DCC and city roads

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Most roads, lanes and by-lanes of Dhaka city are in a deplorable state since long. The Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) has not been doing the needful for their re-carpeting and necessary repair. The DCC, at times, does some mending of the main city streets that are usually used by the very important persons (VIPs). The roads in areas mainly inhabited by the middle and lower middle class people are in the worst condition. These roads are not even fit for plying of manual rickshaws.
The reasons behind the DCC's apathy to keep the roads and streets of the capital city pliable are not understandable. Every year, the Corporation announces a sizeable budget that contains certain allocation for the maintenance of city roads. If that is so, where does the money go?
Besides, some utility services are often found digging roads to lay underground pipelines or cables. But the necessary repair of the damaged portion of the roads, lanes or by-lanes is, generally, found to be nobody's businesses. When asked, the officials of the agencies concerned do claim that they always deposit funds with the DCC for repair works before start digging of any road. If that is true, why should the DCC be so much negligent in repairing the roads damaged by other agencies?
Moreover, the quality of work of the contractors engaged by the DCC for maintenance of city roads is very poor. It seems that not even 30 to 40 per cent of the money allocated by the DCC is spent on the actual work. A section of the DCC officials and the contractors, who are, in most cases, supporters of the ruling party, eat up the rest amount.
The people living in Dhaka do pay holding and other taxes and the government does also make available a sizeable fund to the DCC every year. It is expected that the DCC would make best use of the resources for unhindered movement of the people through main roads, lanes and by-lanes.
Mansur Billah
A resident of Mohammadpur, Dhaka