No progress on Feni-Noakhali 4-lane construction

People are suffering a lot due to slow pace in the construction work to upgrade the Feni-Noakhali (Begumganj to Sonapur) highway to four-lane.

Although the process of land acquisition was took place three years ago but fifty percent task of the project is still incomplete. Road and Highway division is blaming district administration for it. Whereas, district administration is showing the cause of legal complications.

According to the statistics of road and highway division, the project of 13-kilometer long four-lane was started in 2017.

The project cost was estimated at Tk962 crore while the deadline was fixed, July 2017 to June 2020. But, in 2019, the project cost was extended and the time was extended by one year to June 2021 as per the scheme’s first revision proposal. However, fifty percent task of the project is still incomplete.

As a result, the users of the route are facing serious trouble in this rainy season. Traffic jam is become a regular matter there. Besides, the area remain foggy due to heavy dust during dry season.

Ambulance drivers said, it’s tough to move vehicle through this road. Half of hour-long journey takes couple of hours in this route.

AKM Samsuddin Jehan, sadar upazila parishad chairman of Noakhali said, “No visible progress is seen in the last three years. As a result, people are suffering here. Construction items were kept in various spots of the road making pitch holes.”

Khorshed Alam Khan, deputy commissioner (DC) of Noakhali said, four-lane work is the most priority project in Noakhali. The land acquisition work is pending here. We will complete the task soon.”

A 15-member committee is working in this regard, the DC added.