Public sufferings acute as three roads lie in tatters

OUR CORRESPONDENT
CHANDPUR, Nov 26: Three roads of high public importance in three different upazilas of the district have remained in severe disrepairs and neglected for a long time causing lots of inconveniences to movement of countless vehicles and thousands of local residents.
The roads are Chandpur-Cumilla Regional Highway in Shahrasti upazila; four-km- long Chandpur -Dokanghar road near Chandpur district town and a road at Adsha village in Gupti union of Faridganj Upazila. Every day, thousands of people and vehicles use these roads to reach their destinations far and near.
While talking to the correspondent, District Sarak Paribahan Sramik Union President Babul Miji, veteran driver Faruque Dewan, regular passenger Dr Arifur Rahman and college teacher Moazzem Hossain deplored the fact that the Chandpur-Cumilla Regional Highway in Shahrasti upazila has become dilapidated and developed so many big potholes for which the buses carrying passengers, goods-laden trucks and small and medium vehicles encounter many problems here and there.
The drivers have to run vehicles with utmost caution while crossing the risky portions of the highway.
A random survey shows that at least 30,000 various modes of vehicles carrying countless passengers and goods and commodities ply the Chandpur-Cumilla Regional Highway round the clock in Doavanga, Kakoirtola, Kaliapara and adjoining areas under Shahrasti upazila.
Contacted, Sub-Assistant Engineer Abdur Rahim of the Shahrasti upazila office of the Roads & Highways Department told the FE, "Meanwhile, tender process has been completed but the work order for development of the road is yet to be given. It is not known when the work order will be sent to us."
On the other hand, the four-km-long Chandpur-Dokanghar Road is the only upazila link road to come to the district town from rural areas and Haimchar upazila and beyond.
But for the past 7 to 8 years, this road of public importance has remained very much neglected. The condition of this road from Loharpool up to Dokanghar area under Chandpur sadar upazila beggars description.
The situation becomes worst during the stormy and rainy days. Sometimes concretes are dumped by the Chandpur municipality authorities here and there to fill the big-sized potholes where rainwater remains stagnant for days together inconveniencing public movement.
But after a few days, the potholes surface again causing immense suffering for thousands of people, said Towhid Howlader of Dokanghar, teacher Aminul Islam of Loharpool area, service holders Salahuddin Bepari and Yunus Miji and Prof Solaiman Mia of Haimchar Govt College and his wife (also a professor of the same college). They all use this road daily to go to and come back from their workplaces.
A responsible engineer in Chandpur Municipality has told the FE that for lack of fund it is not being possible to renovate or develop this road.
On the other hand, far from Chandpur town, the one-kilometre-long important rural road running from Adsha village up to Latifganj Road in Gupti Paschim union of Faridganj upazila also lies in a dilapidated state. The condition of the rundown road becomes worst when it remains under water for three months due to water-logging during the rainy days and even dry season.
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Then the pedestrians and drivers of vehicles cannot use it at all. The situation becomes worst at the dead of night and at the time of urgently taking a pregnant woman or a serious patient to the nearby hospital.
Talking to the FE, Union Parishad Chairman Bulbul Ahmed said a part of the road has been improved by brick soling at a cost of Tk3.0 lakh. The rest portion of the road may be reconstructed by brick soling after getting allocation of fund.
Meanwhile, a human chain was formed last week by the local affected people at Adsha village demanding repair and renovation of this important road from Adsha up to Latifganj area.
Local Government Engineering Department, Chandpur's Executive Engineer Ahsan Kabir said the road will be surveyed soon and then next course of work will be undertaken.