Dhaka-Mymensingh highway in disrepair for 2 years
- Waterlogging and potholes disrupt public life
Masud Parvez, Uttara (Dhaka)
The Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway beneath and around the Abdullahpur flyover, stretching from Rajlaxmi in Uttara of the capital to Abdullahpur and through the surrounding VIP commercial area, has been in a severely dilapidated condition for the past two to three years. Waterlogging and large potholes on this important road are causing extreme suffering to commuters, drivers and businesspeople every day. Despite the poor condition persisting for a long time, no effective steps have been seen from the authorities concerned.
Local residents and transport workers said water remains stagnant at various points along the highway almost all the time due to even light rainfall or problems with the drainage system over the past two to three years. The large potholes and uneven sections of the road cannot be properly seen because of the waterlogging. As a result, private cars, buses, vans, Laguna three-wheelers and rickshaws frequently overturn, causing serious accidents. There have also been fatalities in road accidents recently. Locals said a pedestrian died yesterday in an accident on the road.
Traffic police said vehicles cannot use the left lane, forcing all traffic onto the main carriageway, which is further increasing traffic congestion and the risk of accidents. Businesspeople operating markets on both sides of the highway said their businesses are on the verge of closure because of the road’s poor condition. They said customers cannot reach the markets because of the condition of the road. Due to the lack of parking facilities and the potholes, customers and visitors are forced to leave their vehicles at a distance.
The businesspeople said it has become difficult to collect shop rents and pay employees’ salaries. According to shop owners and businesspeople, such a miserable condition of a road in a VIP area cannot be seen anywhere else in the country. Expressing anger over the authorities’ negligence, local businesspeople said they had repeatedly informed the city corporation, the concerned ministry and responsible officials about the matter and had also submitted complaints online. However, they said the city corporation has only asked them to submit written complaints, while no repair work has actually been carried out.
Local residents and businesspeople strongly demanded that the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, the Bridges Division and the Dhaka City Corporation jointly intervene immediately to fully repair the damaged sections of the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway and its drainage system so that public transportation and business activities can return to normal.
