Work on Tk 20m foot overbridge in Sylhet starts amid protest

SYLHET, May 24: Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) has started works on a foot overbridge at the city's court point area with a view to resolving traffic congestion on the busy commercial area at court point, triggering commotion among most of the city dwellers, including trade people.

Besides, the Tk 20 million project is being implemented without any tendering process, they alleged. However, the officials said there is provision to implement project through government institution without tender.

Sushashoner Jonyo Nagorik (Sujon), Sylhet chapter General Secretary Faruque Mahmud Chowdhury told this correspondent the authority was supposed to make a proper feasibility study before starting such a project at the city's busy commercial area.

Contacted, the SCC Chief engineer Nur Azizur Rahman told this correspondent yesterday that the project is being implemented at a cost of Tk 20 million from the finance minister's (also lawmaker from Sylhet sadar) special fund. It is the first foot overbridge in the city.

Asked about reasons for not tendering, he said, "Since the state-run Chittagong Dry Dock Ltd is implementing the project, we didn't go for tendering."

SCCI president Salah Uddin Ahmed said the bridge is being constructed on a busy area and it may turn a den of vagabonds and vendors.

Modhubon Market Baybosayi Samity on Sunday last staged a human chain and held a rally on the project site demanding to stop construction of the bridge on a busy site. It wouldn't benefit the pedestrians, they said, rather `the bridge would create trouble for the passersby on the busy area. They also handed over a memo to the SCC chief executive officer Enamul Habib.

The finance minister formally laid foundation of the foot overbridge  on May 21.

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