63 roads in bad shape in 10 dists of Khulna divn
Recent heavy rainfall makes 573 km 'highly risky'
The run-down area between Katakhali and Lokpur is enough to tell the tale of Khulna-Mongla Highway.Photo: STAR
Sixty-three roads under Roads and Highways Department (RHD) in ten districts of Khulna division have become quite unfit for traffic movement due to lack of proper maintenance and repair for years. Recent incessant rainfall for days in the area has worsened the situation, making 573 kilometres of the 63 roads 'highly risky'. Marked with big potholes and ditches, the roads see frequent accidents leading to casualties as well as damage of vehicles. About 40 percent of a total of 1,404 kilometre-long RHD roads in Khulna division comprising Khulna, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Jessore, Jhenidah, Narail, Magura, Chuadanga, Kushtia, Meherpur districts are now in a bad shape, RHD sources said. But the ministry concerned did not allocate necessary fund for their repair despite request for several times through official letters, a high official of the Khulna divisional office of RHD told this correspondent on Saturday. Around 22 kilometre areas of 42-kilometre Khulna-Mongla highway has become virtually unfit for vehicular movement as a number of large potholes have developed there. Several accidents on the road claimed at least nine lives and injured many others during the eight months since January this year, said Taposh Kumar Pal, additional chief engineer of Khulna divisional office of RHD. Khulna-Mongla highway, constructed with the capacity to bear up to 13-tonne truckload of goods, often has to bear much higher load, he said. The road saw three major repair works during 1984-1985, 2004-2005 and 2007-2008 financial years. But the recent downpour coupled with tidewater badly damaged the important highway, making its repair an urgent necessity. Because, the road plays a vital role for transportation of imported and exportable goods from and to foreign ships, said president of Khulna divisional unit of Road Transport Owners and Workers Committee Abdul Gaffar Biswas, also a former lawmaker. Demanding immediate repair of all the 63 important roads and highways in 10 districts under Khulna division, he said, "Otherwise, I will call an indefinite transport strike in Khulna division to press home the demand." RHD Additional Chief Engineer Taposh Kumar Pal said on Saturday that he had already invited tenders for repairing some of the 63 dilapidated roads.
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