Despite huge allocation and stepped up surveillance, the country’s 8500 kilometres of road and highways under the Roads and Highways Department have become unusable for plying vehicles. Divers of country’s Chittagong and Jessore districts have threatened government with launching strike as they cannot ply vehicles on the highways. After the threat made by the divers the R&H Department has taken
an initiative to repair the dilapidated roads across the country. It is learnt that in different places many big and small potholes have been developed in the Dhaka-Chittagong, Jodevpur-Mymensingh and Dhaka-Tangail highways under the Roads and Highways Department. It has been alleged that some dishonest officials of R&H Department did not present actual picture of the roads to the concerned ministry. Getting report from the highway police, the Communications Ministry took initiative for repairing the road and highways across the country. The Highway Police on June 30 submitted a report to the Communications Ministry describing dilapidated condition of roads and highways. On the other hand Communications Minister Obaidul Quader on Friday last gave an assurance at the inter-ministerial meeting of repairing the roads for smooth plying of vehicles prior to Eid holidays. At the meeting Obaidul Quader told Chief Engineer of R&H Mofizul Islam that you don’t know about the roads condition of the country. You are sitting in the office. Sixty six kilometers of highways of Dhaka-Chittagong four lanes which is called life line of the country’s economy are now in awful condition. The work of the four lane highways are now going on in slow pace and during the rainy season the highway has been developing huge potholes in different places. About 50 kilometers areas of Feni to Mirersharai highway at 10 points a large number of potholes have been developed. During a visit about 28 kilometers roads from Baroihat to Darogarhat, it was found that a large number of potholes were developed at Thakurdighi, south part of Mithachara Gangchil Filing Station, wireless, Mirersarai Poura Sadar, Baratakia, Nizampur and Borodarogarhat areas. Arun Alo Chakma, additional director of four-lane project told Kaler Kontho, “We have completed repair works of most of the areas of Sitakunda part. The ongoing problem will be removed before Eid.” Communications Minister Obaidul Quader told inter-ministerial meeting on Friday last that special importance will be given to repair different roads including Padua bazaar. Repair works of 45 kilometers highways have already been started. Though work for the four lanes of Dhaka-Mymensingh highway has been stopped, vehicles are plying through two lanes. Most of the places of the two-lane are in dilapidated condition. About 100 culverts are being cinstructed upto 87 kilometers of Joydevpur to Mymensingh highways. Vehicles are plying very slowly as the roads are under-construction. Two-lane construction works from Rajendrapur to Gorgoria Nutun Bazar has been going on. Plying of vehicles has been stopped. But workers of a construction company are cutting land for construction in front of Cotton Research and Seed Breeding Centre at Gorgoria Nutun Bazar. When asked Fakruddin Ahmed, director of Infratech Construction told Kaler Kontho, “The depth of gas line is seven to eight feet underground at some points.” Khorshed Alam, driver of Maymansingh bound Niribili Paribahan’s bus said that highway repairing is going on for long time. We drive slowly due to highway repairing and reaching the destinations takes longer than usual time. A flyover will be constructed in Mawna intersection. Long-distance buses are running on the narrow road on two sides of the flyover. Officer In-charge (OC) of Mawna highway police station Sanowar Hossain said, “Traffic is slow due to the Four-lane Highway construction work.” Many holes have been created in the highway in Rabna and Pachbikromhati area. Repair work of highway has been completed from Rasulpur and Pouli to Elenga bus stand area. Many holes were created in different parts of highway from Mirzapur to Tangile. These holes were temporarily repaired with stones. But the quality of the repair was very poor and will not last for long. The Highway condition from Pakullah to Mirzapur is worst. It is hard to keep vehicles in control in these areas. Communication of Khulna-Paikgacha highway has been disrupted as it was unfit for traffic movement. Total 33 km highway of this root from Athaha Mile area to Paikgacha is unfit for traffic. The local Bus Owners Association official Sheikh Jahidul Islam said, “Construction work is going on for increasing the height of six km highway from Tala Bridge area to Kopilmunir Golabari. Vehicles cannot run on this highway normally.” Condition of Charkhali-Mothbaria, 29 km highway in Pirojpur is very poor. Public suffering has gone up in 12 roots along with Mathbaria, Pirojpur, Khulna, Barisal and Dhaka. Condition 1.5 km highway of Mathbaria Municipality is causing public suffering for last five years. Inhabitant of Mathbaria and student Dhaka University Md. Tarikul Islam Rubel said, there were huge corruptions in last one era in the name of road repair work. There was not much visible development of the highway. Traveling on this road in every rainy season becomes tougher. Temporary repair work of the road with macadam before Eid increases public suffering even more. Chief Engineer, Roads and Highways Department, Abu Hena Mustafa Kamal said that the damaged road was repaired in 2012 and now some part of the highway is damaged again. Repair work of this road can be started on next September with a big project.
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