Residents suffer as rain leaves port city roads potholed, waterlogged
“Where is the government now? Doesn’t it see our sufferings?”
This was HSC student Suchitra Chowdhury’s reaction when her rickshaw turned turtle while going over a pothole near Chawkbazar in the port city on Sunday. She was injured and missed an important day at college.
Like Suchitra, many people suffer every day as the main thoroughfares of this city are in a worn-out condition due to waterlogging.
Incessant rain for the last 15 days left almost all the important roads, including Chawkbazar-Muradpur, Chawkbazar-Bahadderhat, Bahadderhat-Kalurghat, Bahadderhat-Shah Amanat Bridge, Agrabad-Airport, Kuaish-Oxygen, Khatunganj-Chaktai and Port Access roads, unfit for vehicular movement.
The rain washed away bitumen of the roads and spawned numerous potholes.
As a result, the port city now offers unsafe roads, long tailbacks and intolerable waste of time, especially for school and office goers. The suffering has recently multiplied due to the shopping rush ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr.
Nizam Uddin, a CNG-run auto-rickshaw driver who was yesterday found repairing his vehicle at a garage in Panchlaish area, said the engine of his vehicle broke down due to heavy duty on battered roads.
“The passengers are also afraid of taking auto-rickshaws,” he added.
Different organisations including Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCCI) and Bangladesh Garments Manufacturers and Exporters’ Association (BGMEA) urged the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) and Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) for immediate repairing of the city roads.
Mahbubul Alam, president in-charge of the CCCI, in a statement on Monday urged the government to take necessary steps for repairing the dilapidated roads of the port city before Eid-ul-Fitr.
Contacted, Iqbal Hossain Majumder, chief engineer of the CDA, said it is not their responsibility to repair and maintain all the city thoroughfares. The CDA will repair the newly made roads under its supervision; like Anderkilla-Laldighi, Sagarika-divisional stadium, Prabartak-Oxygen roads.
He said, “The CCC is mainly responsible for the roads because they have rented out spaces for commercial use.”
Nurul Islam, Awami League lawmaker from the city’s Kotwali constituency, said a Tk 35-crore project for repairing 50-kilometre road was implemented by the CCC just before the cricket world cup this year. But the money was misused by CCC engineers and contractors.
Had the project been implemented properly then, the condition of the roads would not be so pathetic now, he said, adding that CCC is solely responsible for the worn-out condition of the roads.
Contacted, CCC Mayor Manjur Alam said they have already initiated repair works to make the roads fit for movement. If the sky remains sunny, maximum roads will be brought in a good shape before the Eid-ul-Fitr, he added.
Courtesy of The Daily Star
