Shahjalal Bridge-3 on The Surma Delayed
Cost of a wrong approach
Iqbal Siddiquee, Sylhet
Shahjalal Bridge-3 on the Surma could not be completed even after 18 months of the actual deadline because of failure in land acquisition for its approach roads.The 261-metre bridge requires 9-kilometre approach roads for both ends, according to the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) officials. Work on the Tk 45 crore bridge on the Dhaka-Sylhet-Sunamganj Highway started on August 14, 2000. It was scheduled to be completed in August, 2003 within 36 months of beginning of the project work. But the work was suspended at many points adding to the delay for further nine months, according to the officials. Meanwhile, the construction materials are being stolen from the work site, locals alleged. The cost of the project will also increase further due to unusual delay in the work, an official said. According to project proposal, a link is supposed to be established between the Dhaka-Sylhet and Sylhet-Sunamganj highways through the approach roads bypassing Sylhet city and the journey time is supposed to be reduced by one hour. When contacted, a RHD official could not say when the work on the approach roads would start as there were a series of litigation over land acquisition for the approach roads'. He, however, said that steps are being taken to 'resolve the problem at the earliest.'
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