Ghatail upazila in Tangail: People suffer due to stalled road work

Renovation of the 5-km road from Palima in Kalihati upazila to Lokerpara in Ghatail upazila of Tangail has not been completed, even after a year and a half beyond the scheduled deadline.

As a result, residents of at least 25 nearby villages are enduring extreme hardship.

The road serves as a crucial communication link between Gopalpur, Bhuiyanpur, Kalihati, and Ghatail upazilas. Thousands of people and hundreds of vehicles rely on this route daily.

According to the Office of the Upazila Engineer (LGED) in Ghatail, the contractor firm "M/S Islam Brothers Limited" was given the project to renovate the 4.98-kilometre-long road at a cost of Tk 2.98 crore.

According to the tender, the work was supposed to be completed by July 31, 2023, but that deadline passed over 1 year and 8 months ago.

During a recent visit, it was observed that the road has turned into a dust-covered stretch with bricks and sand scattered around. When vehicles pass, the dust is blown around, creating a red layer on cropland, houses, and trees. Pedestrians also face great difficulty in navigating the muddy and dusty road.

Shafiur Rahman, a teacher at Jogihati Khandakernagar Adarsha High School, said, "Students from 12 educational institutions and local residents use this road. We demand that the development and renovation work be started immediately."

Autorickshaw driver Sona Miah said driving on this road is very challenging. Minor and major accidents frequently occur, and vehicles often sustain damage to various parts.

"It's really difficult to travel on this road amid numerous potholes," said Abul Hossain, an official of a local NGO.

Sub-contractor Md Harun, who recently took over the work, said the contractor left, leaving the work unfinished. He said around 70 percent of the work has been completed.

"Necessary measures have been taken to speed up the work, and the project will be completed quickly," he added.

Contacted, Mohammad Kamruzzaman, executive engineer of LGED in Tangail, said steps would be taken to resume the work as soon as possible.