Rain threat to road repairs

The fear of rain spoiling urgent repairs of highways looms large as the government races against the clock to ensure hassle-free travel of holidaymakers during Eid-ul-Fitr likely at the end of July.

Shamim Ahmedand Ashik Hossainbdnews24.com
Published : 14 July 2014, 07:08 PM
Updated : 14 July 2014, 07:54 PM

Several highways including the Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Mymensingh arterial roads have been filled with potholes with the onset of monsoon, affecting travel.

Transport owners have threatened to stop operating on crater-filled highways.

The threat prompted Communications Minister Obaidul Quader to inspect some of the badly damaged parts of several highways and order urgent repairs.

Roads and Highways Division Secretary MAN Siddique told bdnews24.com on Tuesday that works had started as per the directive of the minister.

He said they had made preparations to work even in the midst of showers.

“Leaves of officials in every zone have been cancelled. Instructions have been given so that emergency teams work to drain the water if there was heavy rains and to repair (the roads),” he added.

Holes or cracks developing in any place would be at once plugged with bricks, sands and other materials.

He, however, said: “Humans have no control over natural disasters. There could be problems in case of excessive or incessant rainfall two days before the Eid. In that case, there may not be enough time for the repairs.”

Met Office forecasts normal rainfall in the current month.

Minister Quader, however, hopes the repair works will be completed by the ‘timeframe’.
He told reporters while visiting roads in Gazipur on Monday: “I hope the roads will be alright and usable for traffic in one month and people’s sufferings will be lessened to a tolerable level.”
Highway condition
Highways in Bangladesh’s northern, Chittagong and Mymensingh regions cope with more rush of passengers during Eid than roads in other zones.
Rains have created holes at different parts of Dhaka-Chittagong Highway. Roads and Highways Department (RHD) said they already started repair works there.
The bdnews24.com correspondent saw works were going on at Chhoto Daroga Haat, Boro Daroga Haat, Sitakunda Bypass and Kumira Bypass on Tuesday.
Dhaka-Chittagong Highway Four-Lane Project Deputy Director Arun Alo Chakma told bdnews24.com July 20 was the deadline set for repairs of the highway.
“Works are going on to fill the holes in the highway’s rundown parts.”
He, however, said the road will be worn out in case of persistent rains. “But we are fully prepared to tackle that.”
Holes on Dhaka-Bogra Highway’s Rahbal-Chandikona portion have already been fixed.
Though there are no problems on the highway’s Sirajganj part, two bridges there -- Bogra-Nagarbari Bridge and Nalka Bridge -- are risky.
The authorities are trying to repair the bridges.
RHD Sirajganj Executive Engineer Md Moniruzzaman said they made the bridges usable with quick fix. However, the bridges may face new problems if there were incessant rains, he added.
Repairs are also going on in Dhaka-Bangabandhu Bridge Highway’s Tangail portion affected by rains.
RHD Tangail Executive Engineer Rana Priya Barua told bdnews24.comtheir staff will be at work until the Eid.
Repairs at different parts of Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway including Joydebpur intersection, Maona intersection, Bhaluka, Seedstore, Trishal, Boilor and Shikarinda are yet to be completed.
(bdnews24.com Staff Correspondent Mintu Chowdhury, Bogra Correspondent Zia Shaheen, Sirajganj Correspondent Israil Hossain Babu, Tangail Correspondent KS Rahman Shofi and Mymensingh Correspondent Sheikh Mohiuddin Ahmed have contributed to this report.)