Dhaka waterlogging: Stop talking, set up drainage system

To resolve the waterlogging of Dhaka there is no dearth of preparation- promises, small projects, big projects and large allocations. But as there is no scientific or holistic plan, rather than reducing the sufferings of the citizens, it has been augmented manifold. The latest example was seen following the evening rains on September 21.

With 121 millimeters of rain most of the areas of Dhaka became waterlogged. As the traffic system collapsed the whole city almost became dysfunctional. The people returning home faced an incredible amount of suffering. Electric cables of DESCO snapped and fell into the water flooding the roads. Four people including a child and woman were electrocuted and died.

 The main responsibility of resolving the waterlogging was handed over from the WASA to two city corporations in 2021. Around Tk 7 billion is spent in this sector. Recently the Dhaka South City mayor announced with confidence that the rain water will be drained within 15 minutes in Dhaka. But in reality, it was seen that many areas including New Market were under water even after 15 hours of the rain.

With heavy rain, the waterlogging in the roads and streets of Dhaka is not unusual. But why should it not drain away even before the evening of the next day. An Prothom Alo report said the city corporations have everything they require to drain the water including the high capacity pumps, but these are not utilised properly and the citizens cannot get out of the vicious cycle of suffering.

Following rain, water inside Dhaka flows to adjacent river bodies through pump houses, sluice gates and canals. Among them the pump station of the Dhaka South adjacent to the Kamalapur Stadium can drain 8, 55,000 litres of water every minute. But most of its capacity is not being used. The reason is that the drains and box culverts that are supposed to carry the water to the pump station are not functional or are clogged up. The situation is the same in the other pump station situated at Dholaikhal of Old Dhaka adjacent to the bank of the Buriganga.  

The two city corporations cannot even use the capacity of 55 sluice gates they got from the Water Development Board. Water cannot reach the sluice gates through pipelines due to deposition of wastes. The areas of some pipelines are also grabbed. Moreover, the sluice gates cannot be maintained due to the lack of manpower.

Although Dhaka is the most densely populated city in the world and seventh in terms of population, some parts of its drainage network was established before independence while some other parts were established in the nineties. Thanks to rivers all around and a net like canal network in the middle- the rain water of Dhaka used to be drained naturally. But most of the 58 canals registered in the district administration’s documents have been filled and encroached already. Despite various attempts on several occasions for regaining these canals, the situation did not change much.

Ideally 12% of city area should have water bodies. Dhaka has less than 2 per cent. As a result there is no natural path of rain water being drained. In this reality there is no other way then making the drainage network functional to salvage Dhaka from waterlogging permanently.

Having taken the responsibility of resolving waterlogging, the two city corporations of Dhaka moved forward with the makeshift policy of “wherever there is waterlogging there is a project,” which is not an effective and durable plan in reality. Every citizen has to pay the price of their faulty policy. break away from complacence and big talk and instead establish a functional drainage system. Take steps to restore water bodies, dig canals and clean the culverts regularly.