Syeed Khokon, the Mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), on Sunday expressed his firm determination to build Dhaka as a digital and smart city by 2018.
He said development activities in Dhaka are not visible due to lack of a long-term planning.
He made the remark while talking about the development activities in Dhaka marking his two years in office at the Mayor Hanif Auditorium at Nagar Bhaban.
“Two years’ work is nothing as the city has reached such a level after various ups and downs over the last four hundred years. Over the last couple of years I have looked at the basic issues,” he said.
The Mayor, however, said a period of two years from a five-year tenure is surely a long period as it constitutes 40 per cent of the total tenure.
“In the last two years I have looked at the fundamental issues. Now I will work to make Dhaka a smart city.”
He said: “We have so far resolved basic problems. Now this is the turn to build digital and smart city by 2018. I want to tell people that the change has started. Now they are visible. Development will be more visible day by day.”
The most successful step taken by Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) is the eviction of hawkers from the roads and footpaths of Paltan, Motijheel and Gulistan areas to ease the traffic congestion.
Khokan said one of the problems of the city dweller is the traffic congestion. “So, we have given more importance to resolving it.”
“I might not be able fully successful in making sure to remove dirt, canal rehabilitation, billboard eviction, and e-tendering but I hope that I will be able to overcome these problems step by step.”
Assessing his work, Khokan said: “After the mayor election I have tried to ensure provide DSCC service to common people. In 2016, we declared Clean Dhaka, Green Dhaka.”
Along with this, a project has been taken to generate electricity from waste. For this, the official process for the acquisition of 81 acres of land in Matuil Land Field has begun, he said.
The mayor said 85 per cent water-logging in Shantinagar area had been removed and the rest would be done by July.
“We worked with the WASA to recover Nandipara canal. In fact, coordination between all organisations is very important to remove water-logging from the city,” said the mayor.
Describing the development work of the DSCC, the mayor said that community centers owned by DSCC are 30 to 40 years old. That is why a new project to build 22 community centers has been taken up.
Six development projects have been implemented for different development works by the Department of Engineering at a cost of Tk334.44 crore.
Khokan said over the last two years a 215.72Km-long road has been constructed.
Some 18,687 LED lights have been installed on roads Constructions of eight footbridges, six sweeper colonies and three community centers are underway.
The construction of a temple at Mironjolla Sweeper Colony and the modernization of Postogola cremation ground have been completed.
He said: “Setting up of CCTVs and control systems on different roads at a cost of TK800 crore , constructions of 10.16Km-long elevated walkway in Gulistan area at a cost of Tk113 crore 51 lakh are underway.
Professor Dr Muntasir Mamun said: The mayor is not playing any role in protecting the history and tradition of old Dhaka. I hope he will pay attention to that.”
