OUR CORRESPONDENT
CHATTOGRAM, June 25: Most of the roads in the port city are in poor shape causing immense sufferings to commuters and pedestrians mainly during the rainy season.
Many roads and alleys have developed potholes and cracks caused by traffic and heavy rain, making driving difficult. The port city witnessed waterlogging due to heavy rain.
The Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) has, however, taken immediate steps to repair the roads.
CCC Mayor Alhaj Rezaul Karim told the FE that they would take steps to renovate all the roads as soon as possible. "We have already started the renovation work of the main roads in the city which are seriously hindering traffic. If rain does not hamper the renovation work, the workers will continue repairing the roads."
He added, "We have already taken steps to make the drains and canals clean during the monsoon aimed at mitigating the sufferings of the people caused by waterlogging and protecting the roads from damage."
Sources said the roads are in bad shape at Agrabad, Barik Building, Chattogram port area, Patenga, Steel Mills, Katgor Bazar, Airport, Muradpur, Oxygen Intersection, Sholoshahar, Dewanhat, Alankar Intersection, Port Connecting Road, Bahaddarhat, College Road, Jamal Khan, Momin Road, Station Road, Kadamtali, Dhonialapara, Chawk Bazar, Sholok Bahar, Katalganj, Bakalia, New Market, SS Khaled Road, Mehdibagh, OR Nizam Road, Pahartali and Bayezid Bostami.
The main road in Kalurghat Industrial Area is in a sorry state making vehicular movement difficult. Many industries, including multinational company Unilever Bangladesh Limited, are located in the area.
During the monsoon rain, sources said, the city dwellers suffer a lot owning to waterlogging causing damage to most of the roads in the port city.
City dwellers said waterlogging caused even by moderate rainfall is now commonplace in the port city during the rainy season due to the faulty drainage system.
Almost all low-lying areas of the city go under rainwater if the city experiences torrential rainfall, they said, adding that rainwater inundates the city streets by overflowing the drains because most of the drains are silted heavily, causing disruption in discharge of rainwater.
As a result, vehicles run at high risk as the condition of the roads got worse due to heavy rains last week. Small and big potholes, damage to road carpets, lack of renovation work and downpour this week made the roads very rough and risky.
Most of the roads and alleyways in the port city have become unfit for traffic due to cracks and potholes, causing sufferings to pedestrians and commuters as well as drivers. Roads have developed cracks and potholes due to lack of maintenance work, sources said.
Transport owners have to count extra money for repairing their vehicles as the roads are in dilapidated state, they added.
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