Non-appointment of Ds hampers road aintenance

Munima Sultana Work on expansion and maintenance of the country's important highways is being hampered in the absence of project directors (PDs) since long, officials said. Of these, the most priority project is Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane highway which has no director for the last two months. Officials said though the current dry season is crucial for carrying out Dhaka Chittagong highway expansion work, due to be completed by 2013, time has been spent without appointing the project director. They said the post of PD of Dhaka-Chittagong four-lane remains vacant since the former PD was given the charge as PD of the Padma Multipurpose Bridge Project. Besides, the officials said in the absence of zonal chiefs in Barisal, Dhaka and Gopalganj zones, many important roads could not be maintained properly. "Zonal chiefs play an important role in the development work as they exercise both financial and administrative powers," said an official. He said though at present subordinate engineers are carrying out necessary work in addition to their normal duties, in most cases, they cannot take decision on administrative and financial matters without project directors. Barisal and Gopalganj zones are now important as the government has already taken initiatives to construct and widen many roads and bridges including Lebukhali Bridge, Kuakata-Patuakhali road and Padma Bridge approach road from Faridpur.