Kapasgola Road In Bad Shape As Construction Work Remains Stalled. Photo: Anurup Kanti Das

Kapasgola road expansion work has remained stalled for nine months over a legal complication causing untold sufferings to the commuters as well as the residents of the localities.
Chittagong Developing Authority (CDA) is implementing a Tk 33 crore project titled 'Widening project of the Kapasgola Road (Gani Bakery to Bahodderhat intersection) from Chittagong College to Bahodderhat intersection.'
Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) approved the project on November 30 in 2009.
ASA and AHTC are jointly implementing the project that started the construction work of the 2.25 kilometre road on March 28 in 2010.
Sources said 14 writ petitions were submitted to the High Court (HC) in 2009. The work has remained stalled for long as the HC ordered status quo on this project.
Expressing frustration about the project, ASA and AHTC officials said there is little scope to restart the construction work shortly as they are to wait for constituting a new bench of HC.
CDA Law Officer Md Elias Chowdhury told The Daily Star that they are keeping contact with the Attorney General's Office in Dhaka to expedite the disposal of the writ petitions.
One CDA official said the road belonged to Chittagong Roads and Highways Department (RHD) since 1954. RHD handed over the road to the Chittagong Municipality in 1962. According to the Revision Survey (RS) the road and its adjoining area were identified as government property. But in Bangladesh Survey (BS) some dwellers residing in the roadside registered the land as their own property.
He said some of them had the registration in BS ledger. Through this registration they got the approval of their building design plans from the CDA, which happened for lack of co-ordination between the government institutions.
Of the petitioners, only one agreed to talk with The Daily Star on condition of anonymity. The petitioners said CDA is trying to grab their property where they have been living for long time. But CDA wants to evict them from there.
CDA did not come to solve the problem, he said, adding that they (CDA) come here only just to tell them to leave the place.
CDA Project Director Habibur Rahman said Kapasgola Road is one of the busiest roads in the port city. Local people and commuters have been demanding expansion of the road from Bahodderhat intersection to Chittagong College area, he said. CDA started the work to finish it by June 2012 but they stopped it due to HC order.
Present dilapidated shape of this road is causing unbearable sufferings to the commuters as well as residents. Most of the commuters told The Daily Star that journey through this road is becoming very risky for them. It may cause a serious accident any time.
Vehicle-driver Kamal Uddin said the bad shape of road is the cause for accidents and instrumental damages to the vehicles. They have to change parts of vehicles frequently, he added.
“Life is just hell here,” said Md Alamgir Ali, a resident of Kapasgola road.
“Our home is full of dust, causing respiratory problem to our children and elderly persons,” he added.
Demanding an early solution to the problem, Rabiul Islam said both sides should come forward to find a solution.
“We do not want to see any delay in this regard and we want CDA to restart the work in full swing after the court verdict,” he added.