Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh has said that tree planting along 39.6 kilometres on both banks of the Shyampur, Jirani, Manda and Kalunagar canals under a DSCC project will raise Dhaka's greenery to international standards.

The mayor made the remarks while speaking to the media after laying the foundation stone for the "Manda Canal Restoration and Creation of an Aesthetic Environment" work near the Shapla Bridge in Mugda on the morning of Wednesday, 8 May.

"We know that we have not been able to meet the international standard for the greenery or forestation Dhaka city needs," Mayor Sheikh Taposh said. "Along the banks of this Manda canal we will plant about 35,000 trees under our project, which will create a beautiful and pleasant environment in this area. At the same time, our greening and forestation work for the city will gain pace and speed up. And by planting trees along these canals (the Shyampur, Jirani, Manda and Khalunagar canals under the project) and along the old Buriganga, we will be able to reach that international standard of greenery."

Expressing hope for a visible change in the canals by June next year, the mayor said the Manda canal is the largest in the project, followed by the Shyampur, Jirani and Kalunagar canals, which is why work on restoring the Manda canal was starting that day. All the project's work will start by December, he said. "Dhaka residents will see a visible change by December, and next June there will be a radical change. All our consultants, contractors and officials are working to that end. We are hopeful that within the next year we will be able to bring a visible and aesthetic change (to the canals)."

DSCC has begun implementing the project to restore the Shyampur, Jirani, Manda and Kalunagar canals and create an aesthetic environment at a cost of Tk 898.73 crore. Of this, Tk 397 crore will be spent on the 8.7-kilometre Manda canal.

The Manda canal work includes land development; removal of waste and silt from the canal; construction of a bicycle lane and approach roads, three amphitheatres, exercise sheds, fountains, walkways and ghats; 32 pedestrian bridges and six vehicle bridges; seating benches; a children's play area, food court and coffee shop; an RCC retaining wall and slope protection; and decorative safety fencing and public toilets.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.