11,000 villagers suffer for mud road at Kalai

KALAI, JOYPURHAT, June 18: Two kilometre (km) mud-road ranging from Nayapara to Shibsamudra in Kalai Upazila of the district is in dire need of getting pucca.
The road has been awaiting development for 50 years since independence. At present, it has turned totally useless. As a result, serious communication suffering is being experienced everyday by people of about nine villages.
According to field sources, the road turns dangerous if it is a little bit of rainfall. Despite that people have to use it; they are witnessing face to face collision of transports; and accidents are occurring almost regularly.
Over the 50 years, there has been no effective initiative to develop this important road.
Village people and commuters complained, due to negligence of local public representatives, the road has been remaining degraded for years after years.
While talking with this correspondent of The Daily Observer locals and victims said, the road stretching from Nayapara at Matrai Union to Shibsamudra Village has turned deplorable for lack of repairing as well as development.
According to them, the road is the only option for at least 11,000 people of villages like Biala, Nayapara, Shibsamudra, Parkata, Talla, Boli-Shibsamudra, Garoil, Raidangi, and Parbotipur at Matrai Union.
Besides, everyday hundreds of agro-products carrying vehicles, ambulances, CNG, motorcycles, bi-cycles, votvoti, vans, and auto-vans ply the road.
At present, small and big holes have been created in different places of the road; during raining, water gets stranded on different places. The road has no drainage system even.
In this situation, locals, commuters and transport drivers demanded immediate metalizing of the road.
Md Badiuzzaman Sheikh, Md Mozahar Ali Mandal, and Md Rabbiul Hasan of Biala-Parkata Village said, they are living in much neglected condition. Over the last 50 years of independence, different mud roads in the upazila have been developed, but this 2km road still remains untouched.
Md Ershadul Haq, Md Mafijul Islam, and Noor Zahan Begum of Parkata Village said, the people of about nine villages have no other alternative road. During a little raining, the road turns deplorable.
It becomes difficult to take patients to hospital at night, they added.
Farmers Md Ismail Hossain, Md Mafiz Uddin, and Mist Anjuara of the same village said, during election time, candidates make promises, but later they don't follow up.
"We cannot market our agro-products and cattle using this mud road", they mentioned.
Now for coming to bazaars, passengers are paying a fare of about Tk 100 instead of Tk 20.
Van driver Md Mofa Hossain and Votvoti (local vehicle) driver Md Rafikul Islam said, the road turns fully un-usable if there is rain. "We have to suffer heavily to ply this road. Due to holes in different places, our vehicles get damaged. If it is metalized, we will be benefitted."
Md Noor Nabi Mandal, member of Ward No. 2 of Matrai Union, said, the matter of metalizing  the 2km road is lying in the ministry, "I don't know why the delay," he added.
 Member of Upazila LGED Engineer Md Sirajul Islam said, a proposal has been sent to the authority for metalizing the road.
After getting necessary allocation, the work will begin, he added.