Refinery Gate Road to hell in port city

The Refinery Gate Road in Chittagong city's Hadipara has become popular as "gateway to hell" among locals as they have to experience bumpy journeys on the crater-riddled road every time.

Nearly half of the two-kilometre road, from Kathgor to Eastern Refinery Ltd, the state-owned oil refinery in Patenga, has large pot-holes which look like small ponds but the authorities had not repair the road in last one decade, alleged locals, adding that around 10,000 residents of Hadipara and nearby areas travel by this road.

"No vehicle wants to travel by the uneven road. Even if any rickshaw-puller agrees, he demands double fare," said Rashedul Islam, a local and student of Chittagong City College.

Besides, many staff of the refinery and hundreds of students of Kathgor Government Primary School, who have to use the road, suffer regularly.

"The road has been in this dilapidated situation since I joined the refinery 13 years ago. In the dry season the potholes spread unbearable dust and dirt while in the rainy season those become murky," said Md Arif, a refinery staff.

Locals said the road was partially repaired in 2005 and just before the 2015 Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) election it was touched up as a promotional activity.

Moreover, large vehicles like trucks plying the road regularly for the refinery and other factories are another reason for deteriorating the road condition, they added.

When asked, newly elected Councillor of ward-40 of CCC Joynal Abedin admitted that the road has not been repaired completely since 2005 due to fund shortage. "Therefore, I have sent a proposal to local lawmaker Abdul Latif to immediately repair four roads in my area under the Local Government Division and the Refinery road is my first priority. I would officially take charge on July 26 and definitely look into the matter," he added.