Freeing up Dhaka’s roads and footpaths
The Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sayeed Khokon has announced that the DSCC authorities will soon take necessary steps to remove illegal vehicles and rickshaws from city roads and conduct a drive to free footpaths in Motijheel, Gulistan and New Market areas to reduce traffic congestion in the city. Reportedly, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) has also identified the footpaths that have been illegally occupied in different areas under its jurisdiction and already started evicting those. However, from our past experience we know that such drives provide only temporary relief to the city dwellers.
Over the years, we have witnessed several drives to free up Dhaka's roads from illegal parking and footpaths from the occupation of the hawkers. Unfortunately, the condition of those roads and footpaths reverted to their original state within a very short time. And we all know why: we do not have proper, designated car parking facilities, hawkers are usually evicted without being relocated, and keeping them on footpaths means money for some law enforcers and the politically powerful.
We need a well-coordinated, long-term plan to free the streets and footpaths of Dhaka. For that, both the city corporations should sit with the relevant agencies that work for the city's development, including various private organisations that have been carrying out development projects in the city and make an implementable plan. The city authorities should also hold separate meetings with the hawkers' associations to discuss their plans, including the relocation of the hawkers. Conducting random drives have little effect if not followed through under a sustained plan. We hope the city authorities will take the issue seriously and take measures that will have fruitful results.
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