The Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) still remains negligent about the repair works of roads even after Communications Minister Obaidul Quader’s expressed his discontent over their sorry state.
Recently, the communications minister came down heavily on CCC officials after witnessing the rundown state of roads during a visit. He also termed the port city as unlivable.
During a visit to different parts of the city, the Dhaka Tribune found potholes had developed on many city roads, including Airport road, Kapasgola road, Station road, Kadamtoli road, BRTC road, CDA road, SS Kahled road, Hazi Chand Mia road, Panshlaish road, MM Ali road, Momin road, Jamalkhan road, Mehedibag road, OR Nizam road, KB Fazlul Kader road, KB Abdus Sattar road, Sheikh Mujib road, DT road, Agrabad Access road, PC road, Halishahar road, Artillery road, Tara Gate road and Fida Pukur road.
Alam Bepari, a rice trader in Khulna, said he had to pay additional money to transport rice from the port city to Khulna.
Omar Faruk, a businessman, said he was facing a huge loss as his product-laden vehicles could not move smoothly for the sorry state of the roads.
Nahima Akhter, an NGO official, said she could not reach her workplace as commuting to work had become very difficult.
Salsabil Sumaiya, an SSC candidate, said she was always late for class even after starting two hours before for school because of the pitiful condition of Agrabad Access road and Port Connection road.
Nur Mohammad, a computer engineer, said the CCC repaired potholes of DT Road, Sheikh Mujib Road and Dewanhat Overpass with patchwork, but the affected portions of the roads had been damaged again within a few days of repair.
Sharmin Akhter, a garment factory worker in the CEPZ, said she faced long tailback from her way to home after office as vehicles could not run fast for the sorry state of road.
The transport owners said about 1,000 public vehicles out of 1,800 went out of order because of the road.
President Belayet Hossain Belal of Chittagong Bus, Minibus and Human Hauler Owners’ Association said there was no new investment in the city vehicle service for bad shape of road.
“Taking the chance, unfit vehicles are plying city roads which have risks of accidents,” he said.
Moreover, the Chittagong Development Authority (CDA), the Chittagong Water Supply and Sewerage Authority (CWASA), the Bangladesh Telecommunication Company Limited (BTCL) and other bodies are digging city roads for their respective developments works, but they do not have any coordination with each other.
Currently, the Chittagong Wasa is digging 24 city roads for setting up their pipeline.
Executive Engineer of the city corporation Rafiqul Islam said there were about 650 kilometres carpeting roads, 200 kilometres concrete roads, 100 kilometres brick-soling roads and 50 kilometres earthen roads in the port city.
Although city authority claimed that they need to repair 100 kilometres of road, the Dhaka Tribune in a recent visit across the city found that most of the city roads are in shabby state.
Mayor of the CCC Manjur said they would start renovation works after getting fund.
He also said they were doing their routine development works.