Sufferings multiply as two Chandpur roads in tatters

OUR CORRESPONDENT

CHANDPUR, Oct 05: Public sufferings have gone beyond the tolerable level as two important roads in the district- one in Chandpur Sadar upazila and another in Matlab Uttar upazila- have been lying in ruins for many year.

Puranbazar-Dokanghar Road in Chandpur Sadar upazila and Chhengarchar-Sree Royerchar Road in Matlab Uttar upazila on the way to Daudkandi upazila of Cumilla have been lying dilapidated inconveniencing movement of both pedestrians and vehicles.

Consequently, several thousand men, women and children have been suffering a lot every day while travelling towards their destinations.

The three kilometre Puranbazar-Dokanghar Bazar Road is a very important as well as busy road, which runs on the outskirt of Chandpur district town.

The road connects neighbouring Haimchar and Faridganj upazilas to the town.

Every day thousands of people including college students, children and patients from Jafrabad, Bohoria, WAPDA Dam, Chandra , Chowrasta, Ananda Bazar and the neighbouring areas use this important road to come to the district town and go back home via Horina Ferryghat area, Bohoria, Chandra, Haimchar and Faridganj upazilas.

But despite repeated appeals from the local suffering people, the 3 km -road has been left unattended and not yet repaired.

In the past few weeks, due to heavy rainfall, innumerable potholes have developed all over the road, making it mostly impassable.

It was observed that after a short rainfall, water remains stagnant for days together in the countless potholes scattered here and there in the road.

As a result, drivers often demand extra fare for passing the unfit stretches of the road. The pedestrians also have to suffer immensely.

While talking to the FE, some locals like Nirob Hossain, SK Mohammad Fahad , Shahidullah , Nazrul Islam and lady teacher Dola Begum said the road had been constructed in 2011. Since then, the road has remained out of the touch of any development or repair and so it has become dilapidated.

Contacted, Chandpur Municipality's Executive Engineer M Shamsuddoha told the FE, "Chandpur Municipality maintains this road it upon being under our jurisdiction. Due to this year's excessive rainfall in Chandpur, the road has turned dilapidated creating countless potholes here and there."

"We will repair and renovate it soon. As soon as the government allocation is be available, we'll start repair and carpeting work along the road after tender and other process in two months' time."

On the other hand, Chhengarchar to Sree Royerchar Road via Ghoniarpar area in Matlab Uttar upazila is a 10/12 km road. It is too busy a road, used round the clock by thousands of people and vehicles of Matlab Uttar and Matlab Dakhshin upazilas to go to Dhaka within a short time.

But the road has been lying in a very miserable condition for many years. Consequently, local people including students and patients have to suffer much every day. The road's condition, especially from Chhengarchar up to Ghaniarpar area, is worst dilapidated and beggars description.

During a recent visit, it was observed that all the bricks and concretes have come off from the road and so it has become unfit for use. The road is awkward, rugged and filled with mud.

Talking to the FE correspondent, a few locals namely Borhanuddin, Mahbubul Hoque, Sagor Mia, Advocate Sharif Ferdous, Advocate Sayem Hossain, Titu Mia and Md Ali commented that this year's heavy downpour has extensively damaged the road.

That is why, hardly any vehicles run along the rough road. Though a few run, the drivers demand extra charges.

The local people have, however, called upon the Roads & Highways Department to take quick steps to repair the road as soon as possible to mitigate their sufferings.

They have also appealed to the newly-installed upazila administration to bring the road under an urgent development project.

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