We have already discussed about flawless gas, water and electricity supply system of Melbourne. It is not only that the system security of supply is excellent for surplus supply, the customer relation and customer services are also excellent as well.

Starting from getting connections, regular updates, bills payments can be done through internet. Direct debit system of customers account makes life easy. The utility services gas and electricity has no government involvement. Several private service providers operate in very open and competitive market. They always compete to offer better services at lesser price. In our 10 years stay at Melbourne we have never experienced any default in gas, electricity and water supply.

The liquid fuel –diesel, petrol and LPG are sold in hundreds of gas stations all over Melbourne. All stations have mini shopping facilities. The fuel stations also rent out lawn mower and vacuum cleaners for private use. People can purchase fertilizer and garden accessories from fuel stations .The fuel price moves like stock exchange indices in de regulated market system. The same fuel may have different price in the morning and the evening.

Australian Government encouraged use of Solar Energy. Many service providers installed almost free solar panels in private houses until in the recent past. There were provisions for feed in tariff. But in 2014 we do not find that urgency from the service providers. But in any case solar panels are used in road traffic signals in many areas.

The traffic control system on the road in Australia is fully automated and the traffic lights regulate movement of traffic on the road very efficiently. Speed cameras strategically placed police over speeding. Driving license is usually a key document used as identity of individuals. There is no way any defaulter can escape very intensive monitoring system.

Dhaka Situation:

Until recently Dhaka used to suffer a great deal with gas, power and water supply. Present government through various initiatives has made visible and remarkable improvements. But there are genuine apprehensions whether this improvement is sustainable or not? New Gas and Electricity connections remained officially suspended over the last few years though several illegal connections were given by a powerful evil energy syndicates. Power and Gas are being used illegally by a section of unscrupulous users. Gas and power supply system in Dhaka suffers a great deal from illegal and unauthorized connections.

Introduction of prepaid metering system in power supply in some areas have improved the situation. But in many Dhaka areas power Demand has grown way above the capacity of distribution system causing frequent failures of transformers. The power supply glitches in some areas of Dhaka occasionally are not from lack of supply but for overstressed distribution system.

Situation is different for gas networks. Greater Dhaka Titas Gas distribution system failed to cope up with unplanned urban development. In many areas undersized distribution network cannot sustain the huge demands arising out of mushrooming of multi storied buildings, apartments, commercial and industrial consumers in residential areas. Moreover, there are thousands of illegal connections. The situation in Old Dhaka areas where under sized distribution system was laid in 1970s and 1980s has become vulnerable. As built maps are not very accurate and Titas gas officials who had institutional memories have retired. Gas distribution pipelines for corrosion have become risky and vulnerable for accidents. It is advisable to phase out pipeline gas supply in old Dhaka areas and replace this with better LPG supply system.
As built drawings of buried utility services networks are so unreliable that construction of Moghbazar-Malibagh-Tejgaon Flyover construction is severely impeded requiring design change and cost escalation. It also affected construction of Gulistan-Jatrabari Mayor Hanif flyover.

Many areas of Dhaka still complain about poor quality of supply as regards to low pressure and even gas black out. Dhaka Clean Fuel Project implemented with ADB assistance was aimed at resolving this problem. A new gas transmission feeder from Dhanua to Savar was built and several higher diameter feeder lines were also constructed. The present situation for remedy can be construction of a city circular high pressure Gas transmission main connecting CGSs at Demra with Joydepoor and Savar and gradually phasing out gas supply to domestic and commercial consumers in Old Dhaka areas for safety.

Water supply system to a great extent relies on deep tube wells of WASA as surface water treatment plants can hardly meet the demand. Continued use of subsurface water is lowering the water table making Dhaka vulnerable for earth quakes. Recovery of the Rivers around Dhaka from grabbers and deepening all rivers by capital dredging can hold much more water in the rivers all season and then few more river water treatment plants can serve growing demands of Dhaka city and suburbs. Thoughts may be given on water recycling and recycled water can be primarily used for irrigation and industries. In many major cities advanced water treatment (Reverse Osmosis) is used as drinking water supply also.

City Circular Road, River, Railway and Gas Main:

Many of the issues and challenges of Dhaka city can be addressed if through strong government actions with peoples support can free river banks and encroachments of Buriganga, Sitalakhya, Balu and Turag. Then the river beds need to be cleaned of accumulated polythenes and other solid materials. Capital dredging can deepen the river channels for holding and retaining flood water.  A wide city circular road and along it city circular railway system can be developed. Even a city ring main of gas distribution system can also be constructed. If government can prepare a comprehensive project we are sure many donor agencies and development partners will support and assist. But it will require a very strong project management team and extensive citizens support.

Relocating Institutions:

We believe many knowledgeable persons understand and realize but few including leading political personalities do not dare to talk about what I suggest in the following to ease Dhaka’s chronic congestions. The several choke points of Dhaka are well identified and no actions can recover Dhaka city traffic congestions unless the following actions are taken

•    Relocate Dhaka Central Jail to a suitable place on the other side of Buriganga/Padma River and plan for appropriate utilization of the area. The relocation will facilitate widening of highly congested roads. The people who will be affected from widening of roads in the area can be resettled in the space recovered from Jail relocation.

•    Relocate BGB HQ from Pilkhana to somewhere outside Dhaka and relocate all educational institutions, clinic and commercial installations from Dhanmondi, Jhigatola and Lalbagh areas.
•    Relocate Central Secretariat from Present Location to its planned location beside Chandrima Udayan.

•    Relocate Fish and Vegetable market at Kawran Bazar and set up Multistoried Car Park in that space.

•    Recover old Air Port from present users and relocate major Private sector hospitals there. Many Educational institutions and Commercial offices now crowding in Banani and Gulshan can also move there.

•    Relocate Prime Minister’s Office from its present location and make her residence her office as well.

•    Remove all army installations from present Army HQ to Gazipur Cantonment and free the area for movement of all transports and vehicles. All residential and other accommodations can remain there. Army HQ in its present place is a major choke point for traffic congestions.

•    Construct flyovers over all railway level crossings inside the city and remove all slums along railway lines inside the city.

(To be continued)

** Living in Heaven and in Hell

BDST: 1001 HRS, AUG 25, 2014