Editorial
Four-lane Dhaka-Chittagong highway
Too much delay in starting work
It seems that the upgrading project of the most important link between the capital and the port city is being constantly hamstrung by various glitches. It speaks of the tortuous bureaucratic process that besets our development plans. Conceived in 2006, the project has not yet got off the ground even four years after the tender was floated in September 2006.
It is regrettable that the project was cancelled twice in 15 months up to July 2008 for one reason or the other, among which were matters related to tender documents, violation of the PPR as well as difference of opinion between the ministry of communications and the RHD. Sometimes tenders were cancelled in haste and even after it had been vetted by the law ministry and the NBR.
The Daily Star report anticipates that the launch of the 4-lane highway scheme may not commence for another year, and the news is disconcerting. The delay is due to the fact that the project does not have a consultant. The foreign consultant has quit after his demand for higher fees was turned down by the government. Frequent change of project director is another of the reasons for the inordinate delay. It is unbelievable that the project has seen as many as seven project directors so far. And now that the construction firms are ready to go with everything in place the consultant is missing.
Going over the whole episode, it appears to us that delaying the process may serve somebody's interest. We do not know whose, but the way the whole project has been handled leaves us extremely disappointed. We urge upon the government to take action against those that have thrown the spanner in the works every time the project had been ready to commence.
It goes without saying the need to convert the 2- lane highway, and it is indeed an apology to a highway, is being strongly felt with every passing day. There has been increase in the volume of traffic every year with the figure estimated at almost 20,000 everyday now from about 13000 in 2006. And the crunch was felt by everybody on the Eid holidays in the last two years when the jam extended to more than fifty kilometers, a six-hour journey taking 18 hours. But equally importantly, with road clogging the conversion has become necessary to prevent road accidents that have become a regular feature in this highway causing large number of deaths.
The matter can not brook further delay, and the government must ensure that the expansion work starts immediately.
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