Rangpur town roads in sorry state for 3 years

Left without any repair for long, this potholed road at Jahaz Company Moar in Rangpur town sees waterlogging even after a moderate rainfall, thanks to the indifference of authorities. Photo: STAR

Traffic movement in the town has become extremely difficult due to deplorable road condition for the last three years.
About 25000 dwellers of Rangpur town are suffering badly as the municipality authorities are not taking any measure to repair at least 30 kilometre damaged roads in different areas.
The most badly damaged roads are: Two km from Guptapara Lions School point to Shapla point, about 3km from Zahaj Company point to Kamalkatchhna point, about 3 km from fire service & civil defence office point to Shalbon Mistripara point, about 2 km from Mulatol point to Pal Para point, about 4 km from Rangpur stadium to Kukrul point, about 5 km from Jummapara point to Amashu Kukrul point, about 4 km from Dhaka bus terminal to Rangpur central bus terminal, and about one km from Dhap RDRS point to Rangpur radio station point via Radhabollov.
With rains adding to the situation, plying of vehicles on these roads has now become almost impossible.
"We often move about two kilometer more to go to Rangpur municipality market to avoid half kilometre damaged road at Shapla point during rainy season," said college teacher Nurul Hoque Bosunia of Guptapara.
The rickshaw pullers would not take passengers through these roads in the town because of their vulnerable condition.
”Taking advantage of these damaged roads, the rickshaw pullers charge double. Moreover, it's time consuming as they take a longer drive,” said Shamim Ara Akhter, a housewife and resident of Senpara.
Contacted, Rangpur municipality mayor Abdur Rouf Manik said they did not have fund to repair the link roads in different localities in the town.
He, however, added that the government and several donors recently sanctioned about Tk 25 crore for this year to repair the damaged roads.
We could not start repair of roads due to rainfall from early May, he said.
A ward commissioner of Rangpur municipality, however, disclosed that these roads could not be repaired due to a discord between the mayor and the ward commissioners over awarding work to the contractors.
He said the mayor wanted partial repair of about 20 km road while most commissioners sticked to their demand for full-fledged renovation.
The mayor admitted it but expressed the hope to repair the roads as soon as possible.