Home ›› 25 May 2023 ›› Nation
The construction work of Bailla Bazar to Magurata Road in Tangail has been left incomplete for over six months, leaving thousands of residents to suffer.
According to Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), the contractor has been penalised for not completing the work even after the completion date had been extended.
However, the people of Kalihati and Bhuapur upazilas and the northern and western areas of Tangail continue to suffer due to the unfinished construction.
Locals allege that the road was in a much better shape before the renovation work began. The contractors dug up the whole road but did not continue work any further.
Minor accidents have become common in the area. Due to the dust, locals are also suffering from various lung diseases.
Local traders are the worst affected as they are unable to transport their agricultural products to the city on the road easily. They have to opt for alternative routes and pay additional costs.
Acknowledging the public grievances, Tangail LGED Executive Engineer Md Rafiqul Islam, “We extended the completion date as the work was not finished on time. Even then, the work order was cancelled along with penalising the contractor for not completing the work.”
He added that steps will be taken to alleviate the suffering of the people by completing the work by calling for a new tender very soon.
According to Tangail LGED sources, under the Second Rural Transport Improvement Project (RTIP-2), LGED has invited tenders for the renovation work of a 9.29 km road from the LGED intersection in Tangail Sadar upazila to Ayanapur.
A contractor company named RS Sumon JV was given responsibility for the renovation work at a cost of Tk 10,09,72,000. Work began in July 2021 and was scheduled to be completed by October 2022. But as the work was not completed, the contractor left without completing the work even though the period was extended till December.
Residents continue to suffer
The construction of the road from the LGED intersection to Bailla Bazar has been completed. Since then road work has been carried out separately till Ayanapur. In many places, only brick chips have been dumped. Dust and sand are generated from the brick chips crushed by the wheels of the vehicles.
Houses and walls around the road are covered with dust. A red layer of dust can also be seen on the paddy in the neighbouring land. Potholes have been created in some places on the road. Vehicular movement is hampered due to potholes on the connecting road of Magurata Bridge.
Amjad Hossain of the Magurata village said the contractor dug the road and dumped brick chips and did nothing further in the past seven months.
Several locals also had similar complaints. Asiya from the Mirpur area has to travel through the road regularly. She said patients suffer the most while taking this road to the hospital.
Motorcyclist Md Abdul Hamid said he has to go through this road to the city for work regularly. “It is difficult to ride a motorcycle on this road. But I have no other way. I have to go slow which is more of a hassle due to the dust on the road,” he said.
Abdul Barek, a van driver, said, “I feel like my gut gets rearranged while taking this road. Carrying heavy goods is more physically straining for us here.”
Battery-operated auto drivers Md Mosharf Hossain and Azgar Ali complained that their vehicles get damaged and tires get punctured while taking the road. The additional repair cost puts a strain on their meagre earrings.
Local traders have also fallen victim to the incomplete road. Traders are incurring additional costs to transport their goods through alternative roads.
