SYLHET, Aug 28: The regional and rural roads in the upazilas like Kamalganj, Rajnagar and Kulaura of Moulvibazar district have been badly affected due to floods.
The roads under the jurisdiction of the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) from Rajnagar to Balaganj, Juri to Fultola, Juri to Lathitila, Moulvibazar Sadar to Kulaura, Moulvibazar Sadar to Shamshernagar and Kulaura to Shamshernagar were badly damaged as floodwater was rushing into all these roads.
There have developed innumerable ditches or potholes at places while it is almost impossible to run vehicles on many roads.
Locals have demanded immediate repair work to make the roads usable.
Besides, other roads under the jurisdiction of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) including the rural roads and connecting ones in various upazilas were badly damaged by the gushing and stagnant waters for days.
At some places the important roads have been washed away and those are not at all usable and fit for vehicular traffic, a number of locals said.
On the basis of preliminary reports, a total of 210 kilometeres of metalled roads have been affected badly while nine bridges and culverts have been damaged partially or totally, said an official at the LGED, citing a report.
An allocation of Tk 1.8 billion (180 crore) is needed for repair and reconstruction of the road stretches, he added.
Executive engineer at the RHD, Moulvibazar Md Kaisar Hamid told the media that the ongoing floods have badly damaged six culverts and one bridge in addition to 78 km roads in the district.
He told the FE that repair and reconstruction of the bridge and culverts would cost Tk 3.8 billion (380 crore) more.
Locals like Azizur Rahman in Kulaura said road network has been worse affected than the dwelling houses.
Inhabitants of various upazilas stressed emergency restoration of the road link through fast repair work in the rural areas.
Executive engineer of LGED, Moulvibazar Ahmed Abdullah said 210 km roads and nine bridges have been damaged in the district.
forsylhet@gmail.com