Lack of tender holds up completion of Laksam-Lalmai portion

CUMILLA, Sept 17: Work on the four lane project on Cumilla-Noakhali regional highway began about a year ago. However, in the last one year, no tender has been called on the 17 kilometre from Laksam to Lalmai part.

Sources said, Daulatganj Bazar bypass area of Laksam and Bagmara Bazar of Lalmai Upazila are important areas of this highway. In these areas, traffic is often dense on the highway.

This is increasing the sufferings of commuters and traders on the roads. Travellers and traders have demanded the highway be completed work to ease traffic congestion from Laksam to Lalmai.

According to Roads and Highways Department, Cumilla sources, work on upgrading the 59-kilometre regional highway from Tamcham bridge in Cumilla city to Begamganj in Noakhali is under the four lane project. The regional highway was previously a two one.

When the four lanes of this regional highway are completed, the people of the southern part of the country will be benefitted a lot.

People from all over the country including Cumilla, Chandpur, Noakhali, Lakshimpur district will be benefited from using this regional highway. Work on the four lane project on Cumilla-Noakhali regional highway began on September 2018.

The work is expected to be completed by June 2020. The cost of the four lane project has been estimated at Tk 21.70 billion. But due to the slow pace of work, there is also doubt about whether it will be finished by 2021. Because in the last one year, about 17 kilometres from Laksam to Lalmai have not been tendered.

Moslem Uddin, a trader at Bagmara Bazar in Lalmai Upazila of the district, said, four lane works are not being done in our area even. The road to Bagmara Bazar is very narrow. There is traffic congestion here every day, leading to the plight of bus passengers and market traders.

Laksam Daulatganj Bazar Traders Association general secretary Tabarak Ullah Qais said, there is traffic jam daily at Laksam Daulatganj Bazar Bypass. Market traders are suffering from this. I request the authorities to finish the work on Four Lane in this area.

Road and Highway Division Cumilla Executive Engineer Md. Ahad Ullah said, four lanes from Laksam to Lalmai Upazila, part of the four-lane project on Cumilla-Noakhali Regional Highway, are in the review phase. There will be a high level meeting of the ministry on the matter. I hope there will be a decision on tender at the meeting. There will be a decision on whether to break the previous structure inside the market, or to make another bypass.

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