Commuters suffer as PABC road in bad shape in S Ctg
Friday, 12 October 2007
CHITTAGONG, Oct 11 (BSS): Over four million people of southern Chittagong have been suffering from untold miseries in their journeys to and from the port city through Patiya- Anowara- Banshkhali- Chakaria (PABC) route due to bad shape of these roads.
Their sufferings have increased further as they fell prey to a few unscrupulous private transport companies, those travelling frequently travel on these roads complained.
Poor condition of roads and plying of faulty vehicles between the port city and upazila headquarters of Patiya, Banshkhali, Anowara and Chakaria are the main reasons behind the sufferings of the passengers.
Sources said a large number of people from six upazilas of Chittagong south region and Cox's Bazar districts make their daily trip to the port city for attending their offices and as well as for other purposes.
Besides, a huge number of tourists from across the country visit the attractive sites located in this region while many students also go to Chittagong city to attend their respective educational institutions. But the passengers face harassments from the drivers and conductors of the buses as they charge excess fare which frequently resulted in abusive quarrel between the conductors and the passengers.
The passengers also alleged that excess fares are being collected by the staff of both private and BRTC bus services as the number of buses plying on 17 routes in the region are not sufficient.
On the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, the bus owners have been charging an additional Taka 10 to 20 from homebound people saying that they are providing better services to the passengers.
The passengers in those roads feel that completion of construction work of the approach road of the Sangu Bridge (Tailardip-Chandpur bridge), Kalarpul Bailey Bridge and Anowara Sadar Bailey Bridge can ease the sufferings of the people in the region,
Executive Engineer of Roads and Highways, Dolahazara division Swapan Kumar Nath said the development work of PABC roads was going on in full swing. On completion of the work, the communication between the port city and southern region of Chittagong would improve greatly, he said.
He expressed the hope that the construction work of the Sangu Bridge approach road would be completed by December, 2007. But the construction of two other bridges depended on receiving funds, he added.
Their sufferings have increased further as they fell prey to a few unscrupulous private transport companies, those travelling frequently travel on these roads complained.
Poor condition of roads and plying of faulty vehicles between the port city and upazila headquarters of Patiya, Banshkhali, Anowara and Chakaria are the main reasons behind the sufferings of the passengers.
Sources said a large number of people from six upazilas of Chittagong south region and Cox's Bazar districts make their daily trip to the port city for attending their offices and as well as for other purposes.
Besides, a huge number of tourists from across the country visit the attractive sites located in this region while many students also go to Chittagong city to attend their respective educational institutions. But the passengers face harassments from the drivers and conductors of the buses as they charge excess fare which frequently resulted in abusive quarrel between the conductors and the passengers.
The passengers also alleged that excess fares are being collected by the staff of both private and BRTC bus services as the number of buses plying on 17 routes in the region are not sufficient.
On the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, the bus owners have been charging an additional Taka 10 to 20 from homebound people saying that they are providing better services to the passengers.
The passengers in those roads feel that completion of construction work of the approach road of the Sangu Bridge (Tailardip-Chandpur bridge), Kalarpul Bailey Bridge and Anowara Sadar Bailey Bridge can ease the sufferings of the people in the region,
Executive Engineer of Roads and Highways, Dolahazara division Swapan Kumar Nath said the development work of PABC roads was going on in full swing. On completion of the work, the communication between the port city and southern region of Chittagong would improve greatly, he said.
He expressed the hope that the construction work of the Sangu Bridge approach road would be completed by December, 2007. But the construction of two other bridges depended on receiving funds, he added.