The Rupnagar canal, located in the city's Mirpur area, will be connected with Turag River, Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor (DNCC) Atiqul Islam said.

"I want to reach Turag River by boat through Rupnagar canal from the Rupnagar residential area," he told reporters during his visit to the canal today.

"Some 50-60 workers cleaned the 2km long canal for 15 days, which was filled with garbage," the mayor said.

In order to beautify the 60-ft wide canal and its surrounding areas, trees will be planted on its banks initially and then bicycle lanes and walkways will be developed there, he further said.

Locals residents will largely be benefited due to its canal-cleaning and beautification works as a number of educational institutes including Monipur School, Commerce College and a private university are in the area and the students can use the walkways and bicycle lanes, too, Atiqul mentioned.

Illegal structures from the banks of the canal will be demolished unless they are not removed by the owners, he added.

In the meantime the mayor also said city dwellers will be able to pay their holding tax online from March 2021, as the DNCC is working on it.