Why is the Khulna bypass in a state of such disrepair?

The dilapidated condition of the Khulna bypass road has become a major concern for not only the local residents but also the commuters who take this route to travel to and from Dhaka, Barishal, Bagerhat, Satkhira and other important districts in southern Bangladesh. From potholes of various sizes to waterlogging to the muck that it creates, the poor condition of this road results in 10 to 15 minor accidents, every day.

For various reasons, no renovation or repair work has been undertaken ever since the 2.16 km road was completed in 2013 at a cost of Tk 20.5 crore. What has perhaps aggravated the problem is the involvement of multiple government agencies in the maintenance of the road; Khulna Development Authority (KDA) and Khulna City Corporation (KCC), and Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) are all responsible for certain parts of the road. Unsurprisingly, none of these departments have done anything for its maintenance. While KDA says they have handed over an 800-metre stretch of the road to the KCC in December 2013, the latter says that they had not been informed about the transfer by their estate office until recently. This is just one of many such claims.  

In view of the fact that between two and three thousand people use the road on a daily basis, including students of three privately owned educational institutions that are located along its way, it is high time the concerned authorities took this matter seriously and rolled up their sleeves to undertake immediate steps to repair the road. Although KCC has claimed that sand and bricks have been dumped on the road to make it useable, it must be kept in mind that this is just a stopgap measure. KCC also said that renovation will start after a drain is constructed. We hope that KCC stays true to its word and all concerned departments, including KCC, take immediate measures to renovate the road because without this, it will continue to pose grave risk to the people who use it.