Dewanhat Lope Road Project put on ice

CDA took up the project back in 1995 as per recommendation by the Transport Survey Wing of Planning Commission and at the subsequent directive of the then planning minister himself. The road is being constructed beneath the Dewanhat overbridge.

The road known as Dewanhut CDA Lope-road was to connect Dhaka Trunk Road at Dhaniwalapara to the east and at Dewanhat to the west of Dewanhat intersection.

The project aims at easing traffic congestion at the Dewanhat intersection by diverting the long-distance Chittagong-bound transports, such as bus and truck, to the new road. These transports now use an alternative road, causing massive traffic jam at the Dewanhat intersection.

The construction work of the 1200-foot long and 40-foot wide road was suspended following a legal suit in 1998, although over 90 percent of the work has already been completed.

As such, only 10 per cent of the work is left at the entry and exit points of the road. In the meantime, illegal occupants started encroaching the almost completed spacious and well-carpeted road.

The case was disposed of and Appellate Division of the Supreme Court gave its verdict in favour of CDA in 2001. And CDA took fresh initiative to complete the construction work and the encroachers were evicted in early 2002.

The CDA also submitted a new project profile to the Ministry of Public Works seeking Tk 60 lakh in this connection last year.

A top CDA official preferring anonymity told this correspondent that the project profile had been lying at the Ministry of Public Works as it was yet to get approval.

"However, we are thinking of reviving the project and fresh initiative would be taken in this regard soon," he added.

The problem erupted when a "vested circle" instigated some landowners to go for a legal suit against CDA claiming compensation and acquirement money for a small piece of land at the eastend of the lope-road at Dhani-walapara area, CDA sources said.

CDA acquired two-third of the lands for the project from Bangladesh Railway and the rest from the local people. CDA paid railway Tk 1.5 crore for land acquisition and compensation. The local landowners were also duly paid for acquisition of their land and got compensation for their structures, sources said.

The incomplete road is being used as goat market and a huge area of acquired land including a big pond is now under the occupation of some local unscrupulous elements, sources said.