The number of accidents have increased alarmingly on the Sylhet-Tamabil Highway as the thoroughfare lies in a poor state due to lack of repair and maintenance, much to cause sufferings for travelers.
Vehicles are often seen get stuck in the potholes that creates long tailbacks and blocking traffic for hours together on the highway, a crucial road for business and tourism.
During a visit on a 60 kilometres area of the highway, the UNB correspondent found about its 20km stretching from Jaflong to Sarighat, two major tourist spots of the country, in a very bad shape.
The potholes are seen on the way to Jaflong, Mamar Dokan, Mohammadpur, Gucchagram, Tamabil land port, Naljuri, Mokambari, Alubagan, Mokampunji, Sripur, Assampara, Rangpani, Biraimara, Changgil Jaintiapur Bazar and Sarighat.
Besides, some big potholes are found at Telijuri, Bagher Sarak, Chiknagul and Shukrobari Bazar which are around 3 feet in depth on average.
Locals said they always remain in fear that an accident can happen anytime on the road.
Since there is no other alternative road, motor vehicles have to ply the Sylhet-Tamabil Highway by default.
Motor vehicles that go out of order due to pothole disappointments on the highway take around 4 hours to 2 days to get repaired. This puts the motorists and travelers coming to Jaflong and Lalakhal in a precarious state.
“The 20-km part of the highway took ridiculous 2 hours to completely drive through,” said Mashiur Rahman, a bus driver of the route.
Shafiqul Islam Bikrampuri, proprietor of Khuda Restaurant in Jaflong, said “The poor condition of Sylhet-Tamabil highway is mainly due to the corruption and negligence of the concerned local authorities.”
Locals mostly blame corrupt officials of the Roads and Highways Department for their sufferings on Sylhet-Tamabil Highway.
They alleged that stone crushers with the approval of the department have clogged up drains along the road by dumping waste materials putting extra pressure on the road surface that parts of it are exploding into deadly potholes.
Regular commuters of the route said the government is getting huge revenues from the stone quarries in Tamabil but it is not sincere in repairing this unusable road.
