We believe no city can develop, particularly when its roads are repeatedly torn apart by the very agencies entrusted with improving public services. The latest decision taken by Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) to excavate more than 500 kilometres of roads under the Dhaka Sanitation Improvement Project once again exposes a deep-rooted failure in urban planning. While we endorse the expansion of a modern sewerage system, but cannot ignore the unnecessary hardship inflicted on Dhaka dwellers by poor coordination among public agencies.
However, the Tk 5,187 crore project, financed by the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, is undoubtedly essential. Dhaka urgently requires investments to expand its sewerage coverage, improve wastewater treatment while strengthening public health infrastructure. Concurrently,development objectives should not excuse inefficient implementation. That said- roads excavated only a few years ago for water supply improvements are now being dug up again for sewerage works, reflecting a costly lack of foresight.
We believe, the problem is not development itself but the chaotic manner in which it is pursued. Water pipelines, sewerage networks, gas lines, electricity cables and telecommunications infrastructure should be planned as a single integrated underground system before construction begins. Such coordination would reduce public expenditure, preserve roads, minimise traffic disruption and prevent residents from enduring repeated inconveniences. And not to mention, suchpoor timing of these excavations during the monsoon only compounds the suffering.
Waterlogged construction sites, severe traffic congestion and inadequate safety measures also triggers unnecessary risks for commuters and emergency services alike. Equally concerning is the lack of clear information for residents, who are often left wondering �" for how long roads will remain blocked and whennormality will return.
We are not surprised that Dhaka Metropolitan Road Excavation Policy, introduced in 2019 to regulate excavation and ensure timely restoration, has noticeably failed to deliver due to weak law enforcement. Policies are onlymeaningful, when public agencies are held accountable for implementing them.
We also believe Dhaka must embrace a smarter model of urban governance. Many cities around the world maintain integrated utility maps and require all service providers to coordinate infrastructure projects before a single road is excavated. We too possess, the technical expertise to adopt similar practices. What is manifestly lacking is not knowledge, but institutional commitment and political will.
WASA's proposal to collaborate with BUET on improving planning is a welcome step, but isolated efforts will not solve a systemic problem. The government must establish a permanent coordination mechanism that synchronises planning, funding and implementation across all utility agencies.
Lastly, Dhaka deserves roads that are built to last, not roads condemned to perpetual excavation. And development initiatives should improve citizens' quality of life, not repeatedly test their patience.
