An unplanned bridge!

Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) has decided to construct a road leading from Ruma Mukh to Galengya in Bandarban's remote Ruma upazila by cutting a nearby hill.

Earlier, it constructed a bridge over the upazila's Paindu canal without any road connected to it.

"We spent Tk 4.16 crore to construct the bridge," said Nazmus Sadat Md Zillur Rahman, executive engineer of Bandarban unit LGED.

"We constructed the bridge first, while taking initiative to make the road leading from Ruma Mukh to Galengya," he said, adding, "We will have to cut some portions of a hill near the bridge, the construction of which was completed in June."

"The road will be around 24 kilometres and it's construction will require Tk 42 crore."

"We will apply for the clearance certificate to cut hills from the environment department before starting the road construction work."

Contacted, Srirup Mazumder, assistant director of Chattogram environment department said, "The higher authorities will have to decide whether the LGED should be given permission to cut the hill to make the road."

Uhla Ching Marma, chairman of Ruma upazila, said "A few hills will have to be cut but if the road is constructed, indigenous people of around 22 villages will be benefitted."

However, locals voiced that they didn't want hills to be cut down.

"We don't want any road by cutting hills and destroying biodiversity of the forest [on the hills]," said Rum Klam Mro, a local of the area.