Ensure accountability in road construction

It is disturbing to note that there is hardly any accountability and transparency in the construction and repairing works of the roads and highways for reducing public sufferings. There is hardly any place in the country where conditions of roads and highways are good. Due to low quality construction works and absence of renovation, the roads and highways remain unfit for movement of vehicles almost round the year. Due to hazardous conditions of the roads, vehicles cannot ply with the usual speed.

According to a report of this newspaper on Monday, high officials of the Road Transport and Highways Division Rangpur recently assured the common people of no compromise with quality of road construction works and transparency in the whole process. The assurance came at a public hearing. Secretary to the Road Transport and Highways Division under the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges said 23 monitoring teams are working in all ten zones under the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) towards the directions and anyone can inform about any complaint on road construction works.

Unfit roads and highways have been identified as one of the reasons for road accidents. Conditions of some roads become so pitiable that vehicles ply these roads with high risks of accidents. Big potholes, cracks and breaches have developed on various points of these roads making them almost death traps. Monsoon rains aggravate the conditions of the roads further. Absence of repair and renovation by the relevant authority, weak traffic management are mainly responsible for the precarious conditions of the roads. Use of bricks and bitumen instead of concrete is responsible for the deplorable conditions of the roads. This kind of renovation does not last long and the same revert to the previous condition. The travelling people are bearing the brunt of the situation.

Unplanned digging also disrupts movement of vehicles on the roads.  Commuters suffer as digging of roads is undertaken in many areas in the middle of the rainy season for laying utility lines. Heaps of mud, bricks and brick-chips, sand and pipes lying helter-skelter have narrowed the roads, causing severe traffic congestion. Some roads where digging was completed a few months ago are still in a deplorable condition. It is difficult to fathom why digging work is undertaken during monsoon to increase the sufferings of the city-dwellers. Cooperation of contractors, officials and people is needed for implementing construction and periodical maintenance works of roads and highways using quality construction materials to ensure quality and sustainable infrastructures for communication.

 

Ensure accountability in road construction

It is disturbing to note that there is hardly any accountability and transparency in the construction and repairing works of the roads and highways for reducing public sufferings. There is hardly any place in the country where conditions of roads and highways are good. Due to low quality construction works and absence of renovation, the roads and highways remain unfit for movement of vehicles almost round the year. Due to hazardous conditions of the roads, vehicles cannot ply with the usual speed. According to a report of this newspaper on Monday, high officials of the Road Transport and Highways Division Rangpur recently assured the common people of no compromise with quality of road construction works and transparency in the whole process. The assurance came at a public hearing. Secretary to the Road Transport and Highways Division under the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges said 23 monitoring teams are working in all ten zones under the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) towards the directions and anyone can inform about any complaint on road construction works. Unfit roads and highways have been identified as one of the reasons for road accidents. Conditions of some roads become so pitiable that vehicles ply these roads with high risks of accidents. Big potholes, cracks and breaches have developed on various points of these roads making them almost death traps. Monsoon rains aggravate the conditions of the roads further. Absence of repair and renovation by the relevant authority, weak traffic management are mainly responsible for the precarious conditions of the roads. Use of bricks and bitumen instead of concrete is responsible for the deplorable conditions of the roads. This kind of renovation does not last long and the same revert to the previous condition. The travelling people are bearing the brunt of the situation. Unplanned digging also disrupts movement of vehicles on the roads. Commuters suffer as digging of roads is undertaken in many areas in the middle of the rainy season for laying utility lines. Heaps of mud, bricks and brick-chips, sand and pipes lying helter-skelter have narrowed the roads, causing severe traffic congestion. Some roads where digging was completed a few months ago are still in a deplorable condition. It is difficult to fathom why digging work is undertaken during monsoon to increase the sufferings of the city-dwellers. Cooperation of contractors, officials and people is needed for implementing construction and periodical maintenance works of roads and highways using quality construction materials to ensure quality and sustainable infrastructures for communication.