Dhaka faces mounting public distress as monsoon rains expose severe infrastructure neglect across city corporation roads
Photo Collected
Dhaka’s road network is suffering from widespread degradation this monsoon season, as major thoroughfares and residential alleys alike are marred by deep potholes, uneven surfaces, and sections left excavated for months. Despite the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) and Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) allocating hundreds of millions of taka annually for road maintenance and development, residents continue to endure significant traffic congestion and safety hazards.
Field observations across the capital reveal that the deterioration is driven not only by heavy rainfall and waterlogging but also by uncoordinated utility excavations. Many roads remain cut open for months by various agencies without timely restoration, while ongoing construction projects suffer from chronic delays.
In the DNCC area, significant damage has been reported on key routes, including Pragati Sarani, Mirpur Road, Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, and Begum Rokeya Sarani. On Pragati Sarani, particularly the section between Kuril and Nadda Bazar, deep potholes frequently cause heavy vehicles to tilt, forcing traffic to move at a crawl. Utility relocation work for MRT Line-1 has further complicated navigation in these zones. Similarly, in the DSCC jurisdiction, major roads such as the Atish Dipankar Road remain in poor condition. A stretch between Mugda Hospital and the Bir Shrestha Shaheed Sepoy Mostafa Kamal Stadium has been left unpaved for six months following excavation, leaving commuters to navigate through jagged, rock-filled surfaces.
Engineering officials from both corporations maintain that heavy rainfall and prolonged water retention accelerate road damage. “We identify damaged roads and initiate repairs in phases,” said Nur Azizur Rahman, Chief Engineer of the DSCC. However, he admitted that limited budget allocations force the authorities to prioritize only the most critically damaged areas, preventing comprehensive repairs.
The scale of the problem is substantial. The DNCC, managing approximately 1,560 kilometers of roads, estimates that 30 percent of its network requires renovation. For the current fiscal year, the DNCC has allocated approximately 568 crore taka for road, drain, and footpath construction, along with an additional 570 crore taka for special development programs. Meanwhile, the DSCC, overseeing 1,556 kilometers of roads, has identified 120 kilometers in urgent need of repair, with a total allocation of approximately 383 crore taka for infrastructure improvement this fiscal year.
In residential areas like Mohammadpur, Lalmatia, and Gandaria, the situation is equally dire. Many roads exhibit exposed iron rods and open drainage systems, with some sections marked with bamboo poles to warn motorists of deep, water-filled craters. As the monsoon persists, residents and transport operators remain caught in a cycle of infrastructure neglect, where frequent repairs are undone by the next cycle of rain and unchecked construction activity.
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