Dilapidated roads cause public suffering in Chandpur

CHANDPUR, July 26: Chandpur residents have been suffering due to the dilapidated condition of several roads.
The roads include: two kilometre Roghunathpur-Balia GC Road in Chandpur Sadar Upazila, a one kilometre Rampur Sholakhali-Santosepur road in Faridganj Upazila, five-km-long Hajiganj Bishwa-Raghunathpur road and the four-km-long Sachar Bazar- Bordoil Jamtola Bazar Road.
Among these, upon finding truth in allegations that low quality materials are being used during the ongoing renovation of the Roghunathpur-Balia GC road, the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) authorities instructed the contractor to complete the works with quality materials. Chandpur MP Sk Farid Ahmed directed the LGED to look into the irregularities prior to the issuance of LGED's instruction.
The one-km-long Rampur Sholakhali-Santosepur road -built at the cost of Tk 7.1 million in Char Dukhia village in Faridgonj Upazila-has caved-in following incessant rainfall recently, causing sufferings to thousands.
Locals said vehicles fall into the potholes developed on the road and the carpeting has been damaged. Upon receiving information, Faridganj Upazila LGED Engineer Mehedi Hasan visited the spot and directed the contractor to repair the road in the soonest possible time or forfeit payment of outstanding bills.
Meanwhile, for the lack of timely maintenance, innumerable potholes have been developed in the five-km-long Hajiganj Biswa-Raghunathpur road. The road is used by around 60,000 - 70,000 people daily, according to LGED.
Auto-rickshaw drivers Abul Kashem, Al Amin, Sabuj Mia and a few others said that the road is a death trap and it should be renovated immediately to save people's lives.
Nazrul Islam, assistant engineer, LGED, said a proposal to repair and renovate the road has been sent to the higher authorities and work would start within two-three months if funds are allocated.
The four-km-long
Sachar Bazar-Bordoil Jamtola Bazar road in the Kachua Upazila has been in a dilapidated condition for a long time, locals said.
AF Naosher Alam Mia, vice principal of Sachar Degree College, in Kachua Upazila, Chandpur, said the important road become muddy and unfit for use after rainfall.
Kachua Upazila LGED Engineer Md Abdul Alim Lytton said an initiative will be taken to include this road in the annual development plan in the upcoming fiscal year.

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