Dirty water accumulating in it, water dripping from the surface in monsoon and inadequate lighting add to the trouble.

Karwan Bazar underpass is the only easy crossing point on Kazi Nuzrul Islam Avenue and is more used than the other two in Gulistan and Gabtoli.

The walkway gets waterlogged during the rains and passers-by get drenched with water beating in from the sides

The only auto water-pumping machine has remained out of order over the last six months.

Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) constructed the underpass at Karwan Bazar in 1990 at a cost of more than Tk 60 lakh and the DCC zonal office-6 was designated to maintain the underpass, but no permanent employees were appointed.

"Dhaka Urban Transport Project (DUTP) was authorised last year for maintenance of the underpass. We are not responsible for its bad condition," said a DCC official of the zone-6.

Neither the DCC official nor the DUTP official agrees to open up on the issue, but both organisations claimed its ownership.

"We don't have enough staff who can be deployed there for clean-ups," a DUTP official said.

The underpass, constructed with no entrance or exit from a sidewalk, falls on to the sub-line of moving traffic -- a situation that causes more delays in getting across the road rather than providing easy access.

Commuting through the underpass is risky during power failures. Muggers and hoodlums are on the lookout for opportunities and blackouts give them the chance they wait for.

"While I was using the underpass last week the power failed. I heard a woman screaming. Hoodlums physically abused her," said Anisul Haque, an employee of a private firm at Karwan Bazar.

Only one tube light of the 16 installed during construction is in working condition, which makes it all the more difficult for pedestrians. Lack of adequate ventilation adds to the other problems, as the only blower has been out of order for the last six months.

Some officials of the DCC zone-6 say the underpass might be 'technically faulty' as water has been dripping from the surface for long.

The DCC formed a committee to repair and developed the underpass about two years ago, but the committee is now only on paper. DCC officials said Tk 26 lakh was allocated for maintenance of the underpass with five overhead footbridges in the zone.

"Not a single penny was spent on maintenance," another DCC official said.