DNCC focusing on installing new underpasses: Mayor

Instead of installing new over bridges, the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) is now planning to build underpasses for safe road crossing of the pedestrians. 

"We are planning to construct underpasses instead of new over bridges" DSCC Mayor Atiqul Islam said on Saturday in a press briefing marking his one-year anniversary in the chair.

City Corporation has installed escalators on eight foot-over-bridges and installation work of another five is underway, the mayor said. Describing the capital as a completely unplanned city, the DNCC mayor said the authorities are working tirelessly to put everything in order.

The current problems of Dhaka were not been created in a day, they developed over the years, Atiqul stated, adding that "These issues cannot be solved at once either"

Illegal establishments in DNCC areas will be evicted without any prior notice, the Mayor warned, adding that "I won't issue any legal notice for the illegal occupiers. I will go and destroy the establishments."

Regarding the illegal vehicle parking in city, he said it is shrouded by mismanagement and unauthorized business. "We have selected 1,539 spots in Dhaka to setup parking facility which will also be a source of revenue," he added.

Referring to the spread of Aedes mosquitoes, the DNCC mayor urged all to gear up efforts from their respective positions and keep their home and localities clean. "Our combing operation is underway. Even though each of the drives costs around Tk1 crore, we always try to contain the breeding of the Aedes mosquitos through the drives," the mayor added.

Highlighting different development activities of the previous years, the mayor said the city corporation has cancelled allocation of 258 shops at the DNCC market to facilitate establishment of a hospital. "City corporation used to earn Tk100 crore from the allocations, but sacrificed it for the sake of the people.", he said.

During the last one year, some 490.53 km of roads, 605.04 km of sewers, 270.68 km of footpaths and 4 km of median were constructed and renovated in DNCC area at a cost of Tk 4,097.45 crore, he revealed.