Home ›› 06 Mar 2023 ›› Nation
The construction of a four-lane road from Zero Point to Panama Port gate in Dinajpur’s Hili has been halted for over a month soon after the construction began, causing suffering to many.
The development work of 800 metres road from the zero point of the Hili border in Dinajpur to the gate of Panama Port started on December 6 last year.
The contractors began the work from the gate of Panama Port by casting. During the commencement of work, bituminous stones, and brick carpeting were removed from the main road.
The work came to a stop after removing the carpeting of the previous two-lane road and partial welding on one side was done on the road in Hakimpur upazila of the district. Vehicular movement on the road has become risky due to its condition.
All sorts of vehicles, including auto-rickshaws, motorcycles and Indian cargo trucks tread the exposed dusty road.
According to the local Roads and Highways Department (RHD) office, the contractor has stopped work due to some financing problems. The sources could not confirm when the work will start again.
Local truck driver Kabir Hossain transports imported goods from the land port to nearby districts. The road from Zero Point to Panama Port is now left with holes due to a lack of carpeting.
“I have to travel across the road regularly to visit different districts. Due to its current condition, it has become difficult to steer my truck properly as it is a large vehicle,” he said.
Tapan Kumar, a truck driver from India said he transports goods across the border on a 10-wheeler.
“I have to be extremely careful while treading the Zero Point to Panama Port gate road as it is uneven and the vehicle sometimes tilts left and right. If I lose control and the truck overturns it may cause a severe accident,” he said.
Rafiqul Islam, a local shopkeeper at the Charmatha intersection of the area, said the road expansion work began in the first week of December last year.
“They left the work half done, turning it into a dirt road. As it is a busy road and there are regular vehicular movements, the area has become quite dusty,” he said, adding that the locals are developing breathing problems due to this.
Hili Nagorik Unnayon Committee’s Publicity Secretary Enamul Haque Khan said most residents of the area including school, college-going students and patients on their way to the hospital have to go through that road.
“Not only has the road become extremely risky but the dust and dirt are also causing health problems. The road has now become the cause of extreme public suffering,” he said.
Gopal Chandra, managing director of the contracting company National Development Engineering (NDE), said besides the financial crisis, there is also the problem of land acquisition on both sides of the road.
“The construction of this road will be resumed only after both the land acquisition and financing problems are resolved,” he said.
Dinajpur RHD Sub-Assistant Engineer (Civil) Md Anof Sarker said a contractor named National Development Engineering (NDE) got the work of upgrading the 800-metre road from Zero Point of Hili to Panama Port gate through tender.
“The estimated cost of the project is Tk 33.9 crore. The contractor started the work on the four-lane road on December 6 last year but had to halt it due to financing problems,” he said.
He further added that he does not know when the construction project will begin again.
