A train crosses an under-construction culvert in Hatirjheel project area near FDC in the capital. Trains running to and from Kamalapur Railway Station have to slow down here, as the tracks are held precariously by scaffolding. It means longer wait for traffic at three level crossings in the area. The culvert was supposed to be finished by July this year. Photo: Shawkat Jamil

Construction of culverts for Hatirjheel Project near the capital's FDC shows little sign of progress although six months have gone by and the work keeps disrupting train service and traffic movement in the area every day.
Officials at the site yesterday said two box culverts will be build to accommodate sewer pipes beneath rail trucks at a cost of Tk 1.32 crore that also covers maintenance of affected rails.
Arman Hossain, divisional engineer of railway, said Toma Construction Limited got the culvert construction job in April and was supposed to finish it in three months.
He said they along with the firm were trying to get the job done by the Eid-ul-Azha. “But the rains have seriously hampered the work.”
No representative of the company was found at the site yesterday. Some people there said Toma has engaged several small contractors to build the culverts.
Contacted over the phone, Humayun, an official of Toma Construction, denied their involvement with the construction and said another company named Sun Flower is doing the work.
Interestingly, according to the officials, the man represents his company in the project.
Nobody from Sun Flower was found either.
A group of railway engineers and employees were seen working to maintain about a 100 feet long track. A 22.5 feet deep hole has been dug beneath it.
Arman, who was supervising the maintenance, said they have put sleepers and scaffoldings to keep the rail lines usable for now. “We are monitoring the tracks constantly as they can cave in slightly.”
Tomorrow, he said, operation of down trains will be suspended for three hours from 11:00am for maintenance of a track here.
Also, the design of the culverts was revised further delaying the construction, adversely impacting the Hatirjheel Project, its officials said.
Abul Motin, a senior sub-assistant engineer of railway, said, “The work was suspended in June due to heavy rain and resumed on September 16.”
The work is part of Tk 1,920 crore Hatirjheel Project being implemented by Special Work Organisation of the Army Engineering Corps along with Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha, Local Government Engineering Department and Water and Sewerage Authority.
Army Engineering Corps' Major Ferdous, also the project officer, said they were in a hurry to complete the Hatirjheel Project in the quickest possible time.
“The extended rainy season has caused problem for us,” he said, adding they would anyway complete the culvert construction before Eid-ul-Azha.
“It has become a big headache for us,” a senior railway official, seeking anonymity, told The Daily Star.
As the project continues, more than 40 trains pass through the construction site every day amid risk. At the point, each train stops and signs a form and then moves at a slow pace.
As a result, the trains are delayed by four to five minutes creating traffic jam at the FDC, Moghbazar and Boro Moghbazar level crossings in the city.
Rail service was about to collapse on September 27 when downpour washed away earth from underneath the tracks. The authorities had to suspend trains on one of the two lines for three hours to avert accident.
Buses, cars and other vehicles too have to wait extra time at the three crossings.
The people using the busy Tongi diversion road are the worst suffers as the delay of trains at Moghbazar level crossing causes congestions in Moghbazar, Mouchak and Banglamotor areas.