Commuters suffer for waterlogging in Cox’s Bazar 

The commuters of Cox's Bazar municipality are suffering from waterlogging and dilapidated condition of the main roads. 

About 500 different types of accident were recorded last week due to numerous cracks and potholes on the road, says a local source. 

Light vehicles such as easy bike, rickshaw, CNG-run auto-rickshaw face accident in these awful roads. 

The slow traffic movement has brought communication on the roads to a standstill.

Break down of vehicles is a common sight on the road. Taking the opportunity, drivers of other fit-vehicles charge almost double fare.  

The local people alleged that substandard materials were used while renovating the road.  

This correspondent on his visit to the roads found many cracks and potholes in the road from the bus terminal to Municipality Bhaban. 

Of the damaged roads, the condition of Circuit House road is the worst as potholes turned to shallow ditches due to stagnant water. 

Working people and school-going children are suffering the most.

"We suffer a lot while driving on the cracked roads. We hike fares as the three-wheeler auto-rickshaw, locally known as 'Tomtom' get damaged," said Nurul Amin, driver of a Tomtom. 

Eklasur Rahman, a trader, said, "It takes more than an hour to take my children to school on motorcycle, which was supposed to take 15 minutes only. Though the ruling party leader is our municipality chairman, we find no resolution to solve the problem." 

Most of the roads in Cox's Bazar are not being renovated.

Earlier, the main road of Cox's Bazar municipality was under the Roads and Highways Department. Later, Cox's Bazar Development Authority took over the charge to expand and develop the road. 

As road expansion project has not been finalised yet, Cox's Bazar Development Authority cannot start the renovation work.  

The roads were repaired by the contractors, selected by municipality public representative, and became unfit for use after some days, said a local source.   

Aziz Maowla Chowdhury, a resident of Ward No 7, said, "We have to use the alternative road which makes our journey very painful as it takes more time." 

Administrative Officer of Cox's Bazar Municipality, Khorshed Alam told, "Renovation works on the roads have been done as per rule, but these got damaged due to narrow space and overloaded vehicles. Recently, around Tk 87crore was allocated for the renovation work and it will begin after the rainy season."

Chairman of Cox's Bazar Development Authority, Lt Colonel (retired) Forkan Ahmed said, "Several renovation works have been done in last two months.  But, due to incessant rain and overloaded vehicles, the roads developed cracks. We hope the road expansion project will be approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) soon to solve the problem."