Time, cost increase but road remains unfinished
Construction of the road connecting Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College and Mohammad Ali Hospital in Bogra drags on despite several attempts to finish the work in the last seven years. Photo: STAR
Seven years into start, the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) in Bogra is yet to complete land acquisition for construction of a 2.64 km road to ease communication between Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College and Mohammed Ali Hospital in Bogra. Began on July 1 in 2003, the Tk 13.70 crore task styled 'Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Connecting Road project' was supposed to complete within four years. Meantime, problem in land acquisition and delay in project implementation has added Tk 11 crore to the estimated cost despite drastic reduction from the amount of original work under the project. Admitting the matter, Md Moniruzzman, executive engineer of RHD Bogra Division, said, “Project Implementation Committee (PEC) advised us to submit a fresh Revised Development Project Proposal (RDPP) to the ministry concerned. We have submitted the RDPP to the ministry through proper channel according to meeting reference of PEC on January 6.” “The project is likely to restart within April this year if the revised proposal gets approval in time. Meanwhile we have completed 15 percent of total construction work, mostly earth work,” said Md Rashedul Alam, sub-divisional engineer of Bogra RHD. “We are expecting that the project will be complete by June 2012 according to RDPP,” said Md Abul Hossain Pramanik, superintending engineer of RHD Bogra Circle. RHD Bogra Division sources said that the project was taken to ensure easy excess to 500-bed Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College Hospital on the outskirts of Bogra town. Originally the project comprised construction of a 4.5 km road at a cost of Tk 13 crore but later the RHD authority cut the project size, reducing the road length to 2.64 km. Still the RHD has to bear additional Tk 11 crore as the estimated cost has risen to Tk 24.70 crore. "I have to cover additional two kilometres to reach Shaheed Ziaur Rahman Medical College from Satmatha area. The new road is needed for a risk free journey and easy excess to the college premises,” said Md Shiplu Mahi, 28, a three-wheeler driver. According to RDPP, 2.90 hectares of land is required to construct the 2.64 km road but only 1.37 hectares of land has been acquired during the last seven years, RHD sources said. “We are preparing acquisition documents for 1.37 hectares of land to start the project work. Meanwhile earth work on 800 metres of land has nearly finished," said Md Rashedul Alam.
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