So battered with potholes

A pool of water accumulated on the potholed and muddy road from Postogola, Dhaka, to Pagla, Naryanganj. Automobiles plying the road remain at risk of damage and accident due to bumpy ride. Photo: Amran Hossain

Abu Zafar, a rickshaw-van puller, had to spend Tk 1,450 after his vehicles turned on its side on the pothole-ridden 12-km road from Postagola of Shyampur to Ponchoboti of Narayanganj.

Like other workdays, a local business man had hired him on Sunday to carry some iron materials to Postagola bridge area from Shympur on his rickshaw-van, promising him to pay Tk 300.

But, the accident happened in the middle of the road.

“I did not get the money although I almost had made it. It took 1,200 taka to repair my van,” he said, adding he had to buy pills worth Tk 250 for his knee injuries which put him out of work the following day.

“I usually earn 500 taka every day,” he added.  

The 12-km road is so battered in many places that vehicles often topple over on the sides hitting potholes hidden under stagnant water.

Thanks to the poor drainage system, even a slight rain is capable of submerging the road in many places.

The point near Postogola bridge is in an extremely bad shape. With a dilapidated surface, it is in no way suited for traffic. Photo: Amran Hossain

Visiting the road on Tuesday, this correspondent saw Delowar, another rickshaw-van puller, struggling to carry some flour and rice sacks near Postagola bridge.

 At one point, many of the sacks fell down on the ground.

“I was pulling my van very carefully but it is quite difficult [to carry goods] on the bumpy road,” said a helpless Delowar.

Nuruzzaman, a truck driver, said he had to spend Tk 10000 to repair his vehicle which had got damaged on the road after hitting a hidden pothole.

Sometimes, the authorities concerned repaired the potholes with brickbats but it is as a temporary solution, said Mohammad Dulal, a pickup van driver, who uses the road frequently.

The road becomes the same pothole ridden within 48-hours of using the brickbats, he added.

“The passengers often request me to drive slowly as they feel unwell on the bumpy road,” Dulal said, adding that the road is not suitable for patients to travel.

When contacted, Md Ataur Rahman, executive engineer of Roads and Highways Department (Dhaka division), said they had already floated a tender to repair the battered places of the 12-km road.

“We hope to start the carpeting work of the road after upcoming Eid-ul-Azha,” Rahman said, adding that a total of 6-km of the road would be repaired then.