Thousands suffer from lengthy gas supply disruptions

Almost all throughout Tuesday and even Wednesday, thousands of people in different parts of Dhaka city suffered due to a disruption in gas supply to their homes. According to the Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company's director of operations, the disruption happened when, on Monday night, a Titas feeder line was damaged in Amin Bazar during the construction work of Salehpur bridge over the Turag river. On the other hand, officials from the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) alleged that the gas line was installed without their permission, and that it should not have been so close to the main road in the first place. In response, the director of Titas dismissed both allegations. All this while, people across the city struggled to cook and many had to buy food from outside.

It is disappointing to see such lack of communication between vital organisations like the RHD and Titas, as well as their reluctance to accept accountability, despite both being under the government's jurisdiction at the end of the day. As these authorities try to avoid shouldering their responsibility, it is the general people of Dhaka whose continual sufferings are being disregarded. Gas lines being damaged during construction work is nothing new for the people of Dhaka. Even last June, a similar disruption continuing for nearly eight hours occurred in seven areas of the capital when a gas pipe was accidentally severed (leading to a fire) by the Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (WASA) workers while they were working on a sewage line.

In a megacity like Dhaka, where we are seeing rapid urbanisation every hour of the day, it is quite baffling to see this many people being deprived of something as basic as a regular supply of gas. And all for the lack of planning and coordination among the organisations that must work together in order for the city to function seamlessly. It is high time for all parties responsible for the city's utility services to cooperate with each other and to carry out their work in a manner that is beneficial to every citizen. These organisations and departments have a mandate to provide timely services to the people who inhabit this city, not simply to look after their own organisation's interests or shift blame when such events occur.