Commuters in Comilla city suffer greatly due to the poor condition of an eight kilometre stretch of road from Tamcham bridge to the Nandanpur Kotbari area.
A half kilometre of the eight kilometres at Tamcham market is the worst, with large potholes full of foul smelling water and mud. Customers and shopkeepers at the market struggle with the stench.
Locals said the road from Chapapur to Nandanpur Kotbari is an essential means of communication in Comilla city. Even though road maintenance authorities recently finished repairing the section from Chapapur to Tamcham bridge, the rest is neglected.
The Comilla-Kotabari road is vital to communication between various public service institutions in the city of Comilla. Commuters to and from Comilla University, Bangladesh Academy For Rural Development, Comilla Polytechnic Institute, Comilla Cantonment, and various other institutions use the road on a regular basis.
The very poor condition of the road also has a negative impact on the division’s tourism revenue. Tourists on their way to Mainamati Museum, Shalban Vihara and other places have a hard time reaching their destinations.
Md Mahmud Kabir, one of the locals said: “For about 3-4 years temporary fixes have been made to the road, but no permanent repairs.”
Md Alam, general secretary of the divisional CNG run Auto-rickshaw Owner’s Association, said: “Our vehicles break down from time to time on this stretch of road, which makes it hard on passengers. We want the road repaired as soon as possible.”
Comilla Roads and Highways Department Executive Engineer Dr Md Ahad Ullah said: “Indeed, the road from Tamcham bridge to Nandanpur Kotbari needs repairing as soon as possible. We have not been sitting idle. Already, the road from Chapapur to the Tamcham bridge has been repaired. We have talked with the contractors and they will fix the road soon.”
