Moghbazar road: Commuters bear the brunt of slow, chaotic construction

Excavation work on the Outer Circular Road from Malibagh to Moghbazar, one of Dhaka's busiest areas, has been progressing at a sluggish pace for over two months, leaving commuters and residents frustrated by the ongoing difficulties in navigating the road.

The Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) has yet to complete the roadwork, causing significant disruptions.

Commuters and drivers are now forced to use just one lane due to the ongoing excavation. Many parts of the road remain riddled with potholes, posing a serious safety risk. 

On Wednesday, a visit to the site revealed that 10-15 workers were laying crushed bricks on the road. However, there were no safety barriers around the excavated sections. 

Loose soil and sand spread across the road were being carried by vehicle tires, causing dust to disperse into nearby areas. The uneven surface made it difficult for vehicles to pass, while the narrowing of the road resulted in heavy traffic congestion.

People's sufferings 

Residents and commuters have expressed frustration over the disorganised construction process, criticising the lack of clear planning and coordination. 

The work often appears to proceed haphazardly, with no clear timeline for completion. Also, the absence of signage and alternative routes has led to confusion, further complicating traffic flow.

Many are urging the authorities to address the chaos urgently, with suggestions for better traffic management and faster completion of the construction.

In response to the growing concerns, DSCC officials say the road will be fit for vehicle traffic by next week and that the entire construction project will be completed within the next month.

Work at the Siddheswari site, which began in January and involves excavation and pipeline installation from near Mouchak Market to Boro Moghbazar, has also experienced delays. 

The road was closed for several days initially due to the excavation, and progress has continued at a slow pace after the installation of the new pipeline.

Adilur Rahman, a regular commuter on the road, told The Business Standard, "If it takes months to complete work on such an important road, the authorities should provide an alternative route for residents. The road remained dug up for about a month, posing a constant risk of accidents.

"Even now, there are several potholes, and walking through this area means being covered in dust. The city corporation isn't spraying enough water to control it," he said.

Car driver Shahjahan echoed similar concerns, saying, "I couldn't park my car for the past month due to the dug-up road. I had to rent a parking space elsewhere. Recently, I've been able to bring my car into my street, but the poor road conditions have caused damage to my vehicle."

Security guard Abdul Mannan, who works at a nearby building, said, "The dust is unbearable. They work for a few days and then stop again. Sometimes I see rickshaws and CNG-run auto-rickshaws tipping over because there are no safety barriers around the excavated sections."

More delays expected
Rabi Hossain, a construction worker of the project, said concreting the road would take more time. After a pause in work, construction resumed three days ago.

Speaking to The Business Standard, Saiful Islam Joy, executive engineer of Dhaka South City Corporation's Zone-1, said, "During the monsoon, this area faced severe waterlogging as the drainage pipelines were mostly blocked. That's why pipeline replacement work is underway. So far, we have replaced 86 pipes." 

He added, "After completing underground work, we are now filling the area with soil and laying crushed bricks. Vehicles should be able to pass once the surface is leveled next week.

"It took a bit more time to install the drainage pipes underground, and we have tried to ensure safety while carrying out the work. Although safety barriers have been put in place now, they are insufficient, and we will work on enhancing security further," he said.

Regarding dust control, the DSCC engineer added, "The amount of water needed to control dust is beyond our capacity. We have only 10 water-spraying vehicles for the entire Dhaka South area, so we can't spray water more than once a day. However, we will try to increase water spraying in this area."