Gorai-Sakhipur-Kakraid road in bad shape

The 40-km Gorai-Sakhipur-Kakraid road has become a nightmare for vehicular traffic and the commuters.
Locals said the condition of the road has never been better because of the use of sub-standard materials. People of five upazilas of Tangail have been suffering due to its pitiable condition for a long time.
They said people of Sakhipur, Mirzapur, Basail, Ghatail and Madhupur used to prefer the Gorai-Sakhipur-Kakraid road for easy communication with the capital city and other destinations.
The Roads and Highways Department [RHD] constructed the 60-km Gorai-Sakhipur-Kakraid zonal highway. But it has been alleged that due to use of the poor quality materials the road has developed numerous potholes, cracks and craters within a short period of its construction. It becomes unusable or turns to death traps for inundation during the rainy season. It has seen many fatal accidents.
 Condition of the road at Gorai, Hatubangha, Hossen market, Pekua, Bashtoil, Noyapara, Nalua, Ambagan, Dewdighi, Takterchala, Sakhipur, Sagordighi, Garobazar and Kakraid has turned worse. Water remains stagnant in many places of the road during the rainy season, when the segments of bitumen tops are washed away. Many buses and trucks get stranded on the road after engine breakdown causing a long tailback.
The two-hour journey now takes six hours because of the disruptions.
 National agriculture award recipient Chacha Abdul Aziz said a large quantity of pineapple, jackfruit, banana, ginger, turmeric and other fruits and vegetables is produced in the Garh area. The farmers are being deprived of fair prices because of the difficulties in transportation.
 Local people have been waging a long-drawn movement for repair of the road. People of Sakhipur had formed human chain and submitted memorandum several times to the authorities.
Considering the situation the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council [ECNEC], headed by the prime minister, allocated Tk29 crores for repair and extension of 40 kms road in 2011. But the fund could not be released for complexities. Minister of Bridge and Highway Obaidul Kader instructed Tangail RHD to repair the road on emergency basis in 2014. The department also did start repairing the road. But the works have now been suspended for unknown reasons.
Noor-e-Elahi, executive engineer of RHD in Tangail, said a plan to repair the 28- km section of the road from Sakhipur municipality to Gorai at a cost of Tk 6 crores have been prepared.  Anupam Shahjahan Joy MP said the work on the road will start after the rainy season.

Gorai-Sakhipur-Kakraid road in bad shape

The 40-km Gorai-Sakhipur-Kakraid road has become a nightmare for vehicular traffic and the commuters. Locals said the condition of the road has never been better because of the use of sub-standard materials. People of five upazilas of Tangail have been suffering due to its pitiable condition for a long time. They said people of Sakhipur, Mirzapur, Basail, Ghatail and Madhupur used to prefer the Gorai-Sakhipur-Kakraid road for easy communication with the capital city and other destinations. The Roads and Highways Department [RHD] constructed the 60-km Gorai-Sakhipur-Kakraid zonal highway. But it has been alleged that due to use of the poor quality materials the road has developed numerous potholes, cracks and craters within a short period of its construction. It becomes unusable or turns to death traps for inundation during the rainy season. It has seen many fatal accidents. Condition of the road at Gorai, Hatubangha, Hossen market, Pekua, Bashtoil, Noyapara, Nalua, Ambagan, Dewdighi, Takterchala, Sakhipur, Sagordighi, Garobazar and Kakraid has turned worse. Water remains stagnant in many places of the road during the rainy season, when the segments of bitumen tops are washed away. Many buses and trucks get stranded on the road after engine breakdown causing a long tailback. The two-hour journey now takes six hours because of the disruptions. National agriculture award recipient Chacha Abdul Aziz said a large quantity of pineapple, jackfruit, banana, ginger, turmeric and other fruits and vegetables is produced in the Garh area. The farmers are being deprived of fair prices because of the difficulties in transportation. Local people have been waging a long-drawn movement for repair of the road. People of Sakhipur had formed human chain and submitted memorandum several times to the authorities. Considering the situation the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council [ECNEC], headed by the prime minister, allocated Tk29 crores for repair and extension of 40 kms road in 2011. But the fund could not be released for complexities. Minister of Bridge and Highway Obaidul Kader instructed Tangail RHD to repair the road on emergency basis in 2014. The department also did start repairing the road. But the works have now been suspended for unknown reasons. Noor-e-Elahi, executive engineer of RHD in Tangail, said a plan to repair the 28- km section of the road from Sakhipur municipality to Gorai at a cost of Tk 6 crores have been prepared. Anupam Shahjahan Joy MP said the work on the road will start after the rainy season.