3 Khulna City access roads in sorry state

S M Aminul Islam, Khulna

Due to non-renovation for a long time, three Khulna City access roads are in poor condition. The situation is more critical during the monsoon season. As a result, small and big accidents are happening every day. Drivers and pedestrians are suffering.

The roads are – Rupsha Bridge via shipyard to traffic intersection, Mustafar intersection to Rayermahal Sluice Gate and Sheikh Abu Naser Specialized Hospital link road. These three important roads are under Khulna Development Authority (KDA), Khulna Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) and Khulna City Corporation (KCC).

While visiting on the spot, it was found that due to the presence of numerous potholes, all types of vehicles, including easy-bikes, buses, trucks and private cars have to move with swaying on the road from Mustafar intersection to Rayermahal Sluice Gate. Not only that, the road development work is going on at a slow pace from Rupsha Bridge via the shipyard to the traffic intersection and two other access roads. As a result, the connecting road from the city bypass to the Sheikh Abu Naser Specialized Hospital has now become an unpaved road.

According to the KDA, the ECNEC meeting on May 7, 2013, approved the shipyard road widening and development project at a cost of Tk 98.9 crore. But the work did not begin due to the complexity of land acquisition. After that, the project was revised and sent to the concerned ministry. On July 21, 2020, the ECNEC meeting again approved the first revised project. Then the project cost increased to Tk 259.21 crore. After calling the tender and giving the work order to the contractor, another year and a half passed. On January 12, 2022, KDA gave work orders to the contracting companies Ataur Rahman Limited and Mahabub Brothers Private Limited (Joint Venture). The contractors started working on January 20. But after the start, the related contractors stopped the work for several reasons. As a result, only 54 per cent progress has been made so far. The work term will expire in June 2024.

KDA Project Officer (Executive Engineer) Md. Arman Hossain and the contracting company Manager Kawsar Ahmed said, “As the prices of various equipment have increased and as the monsoon season is running, so the construction of the shipyard road is going on slowly. Public suffering will be reduced when the construction work is completed.”

Meanwhile, the link road from the Mustafar intersection to Rayermahal of the city’s bypass road has become impassable for two years due to potholes. The cargo trucks get stuck in the ditch during monsoon. Besides, small vehicles usually try to avoid the road. However, as there are two schools beside the road, the students are in trouble.

Sabuj Joardar, a truck driver, said, “The rainwater accumulates in large potholes. As a result, trucks get stuck in the potholes many times. Besides, small vehicles almost overturn.”

A local trader Monirul Islam said, “The condition of the road is pathetic. Goods cannot be brought in and taken out. As a result, the business is about to be closed. I will have to go elsewhere and start a business.”

This dilapidated road belongs to Khulna LGED. In this connection, Khulna LGED Executive Engineer AKM Anisuzzaman said that a tender has been called for the repair of the road. Once the contractor is ready, the work will start soon.

However, the condition of the connecting road from the city bypass to Sheikh Abu Naser Specialized Hospital is the worst. KDA built this road in 2009. The road has not been renovated even once. Although the road was constructed for the people of the Khalishpur-Daulatpur area to get out of the city quickly, it is not working at all.

A resident named Sabu said, “Once there was a paved road, but due to lack of renovation for a long time, the road has now turned into an unpaved road. There is no way to understand that there was once a paved road. The current situation is so bad that even the pedestrians can’t walk.”

Enamul Haque, a resident of the area, said, “I rented a house beside this road thinking about the various conveniences for the family. But rickshaws and easy bikes do not want to come on this road. Even if someone agrees, the rent is two to three times higher. In this situation, I have decided to move elsewhere.”

KCC owns this road from the Abu Naser intersection to the bridge intersection and Khulna LGED owns the rest. Regarding this road, KCC’s Executive Engineer-3 Sheikh Mohammad Masud said, the KCC part of the road was included in the project but it was not approved.

AKM Anisuzzaman, executive engineer of Khulna LGED, said that that road was not included in the LGED ID. So without ID, there is nothing to do. It will take time to bring under ID.