Satkhira-Jessore road remains a nightmare for commuters

21 October 2009, 17:00 PM

Our Correspondent, Satkhira

With large potholes, Satkhira-Jessore Road often turns into a trap for vehicles, much to the nuisance of commuters including traders.Photo: STAR

Thousands of commuters on Satkhira-Jessore road are suffering as large potholes and ditches at different points have made the 65-kilometre road difficult for vehicular movement. Regular passengers including government and non-government officials and employees, students and traders have been facing problem while patients become the worst sufferers. Exporters and importers also face problem to carry goods from Satkhira and Bhomra land ports by trucks through the roads. Several hundred trucks, passenger buses, minibuses, pick-ups and other vehicles every day ply Satkhira-Jessore road connecting Jessore and other parts of the country including capital Dhaka with Satkhira district. Vehicles often get stuck on the potholes, creating a long snarl-up on both sides of the damaged road at Jhowdanga Bazar, Kalaroa, Baganchara and other points. The problem has arisen due to huge pressure of traffic on the road and storage of water in potholes while lack of proper maintenance by the authorities concerned has worsened the situation. Potholes started developing on the road about six years ago but the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) authorities have not taken any steps to repair it, sources said. As the road has become unfit for vehicular movement at Jhowdanga, Kalaroa, Baganchara and many other points, drivers fail to reach destinations in scheduled time, much to the dissatisfaction of passengers, said Saiful Karim Sabu, president of Satkhira Minibus-bus Owners Association. It takes half an hour for a vehicle to cross Jhowdanga bazar as vehicles are seen standing in queues on the both sides of the road, he added. When contacted, Executive Engineer Abdur Rahim of local RHD admitted the situation and said they are trying to reconstruct the road soon.