Renovation of road in Kushtia stalled after locals allege irregularities

Renovation works on some stretches of a 1.7-kilometre road in Kushtia's Daulatpur upazila have been stalled after locals alleged that the road was being laid with low-quality bricks and bitumen.

Locals alleged that the carpeting of the Mathurapur-Juniadah road was coming off in some areas.

They said the renovation of around 900 metres of the road has already been completed.

Upazila Engineer of Local Government Engineering Department Iftekhar Uddin Joarder said the repair work of a part of the road has been suspended after they got the allegation of substandard work.

The repair work of the road, which was in a state of disrepair for several years, started in the 2019-20 financial year. Titu Enterprise, a Chuadanga-based contractor, got the renovation contract at an estimated cost of Tk 6,927,276.

The company started work on December 29 last year and it was supposed to be completed by March 12 this year. However, when they were not able to finish the renovation in time, Titu Enterprise handed over the work to a contractor named Nasir.

On May 13, Nasir's team completed laying the top layer of the road on muddy soil amid torrential rain, locals alleged.

"If you try to pull a part of it, the whole carpeting is coming off with your hands. The children are pulling it off," alleged a resident of Hosenabad Kandipara village.

It was learned that carpeting was done in many places without any bitumen, which is why the top layer is coming off.

Protesting the matter, the villagers demonstrated in the area.

"We repeatedly asked workers not to carry out the work in such a way, but they did not pay any heed," alleged Yad Ali, a resident of the area.

He said on behalf of the villagers, he called Iftekhar Uddin Joarder, upazila engineer of LGED in Daulatpur, to inform him of the matter.

"But instead of taking any step, some employees of the office came to the spot and threatened me for complaining about the issue," Yad Ali alleged. 

Talking to the correspondent, Nasir, who was carrying out the work. claimed that he did the job as a favour to Titu Enterprise and every step of the work was checked by the local LGED office.

Upazila Engineer of LGED Iftekhar said the work was going well and the people in his office were always at the work site.

He said action would be taken if there were any irregularities and also said he did not threaten anyone.