Residents find new way to relax, rejuvenate

In the early morning hours, Belal Hossain, a resident of Mohammadpur in his middle years, steps onto the freshly laid walkways lining River Turag. As he starts his morning jog, the gentle light of dawn adds a soft touch to the sky. With each stride, he becomes enveloped in the serene cadence of his routine exercise.

These walkways now serve as his habitual sanctuary, offering solace amid the city's constant bustle.

Apart from serving as recreational spaces for Dhakaites, these walkways also serve practical purposes: to protect rivers in and around Dhaka from encroachment and pollution by garbage dumping.

Aiming at the objective, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) is constructing around 52 kilometres of walkways along the five rivers. As of now, around 20 kilometres of these walkways have been completed and are accessible to the public.

According to BIWTA, the three-kilometre stretch of walkways on the bank of River Turag in the Mohammadpur-Basila area was opened to pedestrians in June 2022.

The transformation has led to other positive changes in the area, including the opening of new eateries and cafes along the walkways. Moreover, the value of the nearby properties has witnessed an increase, showcasing the positive economic impact of such initiatives.

Shafiqul Islam Sumon, the owner of Neda-E-Food Valley in Mohammadpur's Dhaka Udyan area, said previously, safety concerns deterred people from visiting the area even during the day.

However, the situation has improved significantly, and the area now experiences a consistent influx of visitors, particularly on weekends.

Plan to build walkways on both banks of five rivers: BIWTA plans to construct a total of 220 kilometres of walkways encircling Dhaka, positioned on both banks of Buriganga, Dhaleswari, Shitalakhya, Balu and Turag.

The first phase of the walkway encompassing around 20 kilometres was finalised in 2015, and at present, work is underway on the second phase, covering 52km.

In the third phase, a proposal for a 148-kilometre walkway project was submitted to the Ministry of Shipping in 2020.

Besides, BIWTA's third walkway initiative is enlisted under the World Bank's Umbrella Investment Programme (UIP), which is designed to rejuvenate these five rivers encircling Dhaka through decontamination.

In addition to the walkways, the ongoing project comprises the installation of 7500 river border pillars, the construction of 40km of reinforced cement concrete (RCC) retaining walls, the establishment of 14 substantial jetties and the creation of three eco-parks along with plantations.

The project director (PD) for the walkway project at BIWTA, Abu Zafar Mohammad Shahnawaz Kabir, told the FE that the construction for the second phase of walkways commenced in 2018, initially slated for completion by July 2023.

However, due to several factors, primarily the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, progress faced delays. Consequently, the projected timeline has been extended to July 2024, with an anticipated full completion by 2025, he said.

"For this reason, we have proposed the ministry to extend the time," he added.

He noted that the initial cost estimation for the 52km walkway project stood at Tk 8.48 billion. This figure has been revised to Tk 11.81 billion due to some infrastructural modifications.

"We have already installed 5000 river boundary pillars, inaugurated two eco-parks, and constructed 5.0 km RCC retaining walls," he mentioned.

Among the three eco-parks, two have been inaugurated, spanning over three acres in Tongi and over one acre in the Mirpur Borobazar region.

It is expected that the eco-park in Hajiganj in Narayanganj district, encompassing more than one acre, will be open within the current year.

Mr Kabir added that upon the completion of the 52km stretch, pedestrians will have access to an uninterrupted walkway spanning around 12km from Mohammadpur to Kamrangirchar.

There are challenges too: The project director also indicated that numerous challenges persist, as influential entities continue their efforts to regain control of the river, and multiple legal cases remain ongoing.

"Our aim was to free the river from river grabbers and make it free from pollution so that the environment is protected and people can travel there," he said.

Once the entire work reaches completion, the public will also experience some relief from traffic congestion thanks to the walkway, he added.

To uphold the walkway's upkeep, Kabir stressed the necessity for cooperation and vigilance among all stakeholders.

From 2010 to 2020, BIWTA reclaimed 726.17 acres of land and bulldozed 20,282 illegal structures within the Dhaka-Narayanganj river port areas.

Currently, the government is finalising a policy for the maintenance of the walkways, which is anticipated to be ratified this year.

According to the proposed policy, the private sector will lease the walkways to ensure their proper upkeep, with BIWTA overseeing it.

There has been a lack of maintenance for a 20km walkway along the Turag-Buriganga rivers in Basila, Tongi, Shyampur, Kachpur and Tanbazar areas, constructed in 2015.

Due to insufficient upkeep, certain sections of the walkway are presently in a state of disrepair. BIWTA officials have confirmed that these damaged sections will be repaired.

Experts call for coordination, mass awareness: Experts emphasise that proper maintenance and coordinated planning are essential to sustain the walkways. These measures are equally pivotal in concurrently mitigating river pollution.

Dr Ahmad Kamruzzaman Majumder, joint secretary of the Bangladesh Poribesh Andolon (BAPA), said the riverbanks within Dhaka city have devolved into receptacles for all manner of refuse.

"The establishment of walkways will facilitate movement, significantly curtailing the practice of littering in the vicinity. Consequently, the walkways will prove instrumental in forestalling river pollution."

"However, the walkway must remain uninterrupted," he noted, underscoring that a damaged pathway could once again become a dumping ground.

Dr Majumder, who also chairs the Department of Environmental Science at Stamford University Bangladesh, further said that two Dhaka city corporations and the Dhaka Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (DWASA) bear substantial responsibility for reducing river pollution.

City corporations must undertake effective measures for the proper disposal of solid waste in designated areas, and where necessary, resort to legal measures.

He stressed the importance of shaping mass awareness by engaging local communities and highlighted the need for coordinated efforts encompassing all stakeholders.

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