Sylhet city\\\'s first foot overbridge ready for inauguration
Our Correspondent | Wednesday, 29 July 2015
SYLHET, July 28: Works on the foot over bridge at the Sylhet city's court point area with a view to resolving traffic congestion on the busy commercial area is nearing completion. It would be ready in a couple of weeks and would be formally inaugurated by the Finance Minister in August, officials informed.
The 20 million taka project is being implemented by the Sylhet City Corporation (SCC), said its chief engineer Nur Azziur Rahman.
The authority started the works two months ago without consulting locals, including trade people, who alleged it would create trouble for the passersby. On the other hand, the project is being implemented without tender.
However, the officials said there is a provision to implement project through government institution without tender.
Sushashoner Jonyo Nagorik (Sujon), Sylhet chapter General Secretary Faruque Mahmud Chowdhury said 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, the project is being implemented at a cost of Taka 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.
The Sylhet Chamber of Commerce & industry (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.
Just after the start of bridge works, Modhubon Market Baybosayi Samity 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.
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