Due to lack of any connecting road, residents of Chhoto Bongram New Colony under ward-19 of RCC use crude, muddy road to reach their destinations. But, after a slight rainfall, these roads become almost inaccessible. Then, people have to walk through by riding a five-inch unfinished brick built boundary wall to avoid clay and water.
On Thursday noon, two women were seen to traverse through the boundary wall. One of them, Rokshana Khatun said, it was not possible to walk through the mud and clay-water filled road, that is why she was walking by riding on the boundary wall. She further said, there is every possibility to fall on the clay and water filled road beside and even turn-turtle but they have no way but to choose this risky boundary wall to walk through.
A local contractor requesting anonymity said, the roads connecting to his house and the neighbours' have been inundated following Wednesday's rainfall. This New Colony area is, infact, a village within the city. The sufferings of women and children knew no bounds due to absence of connecting roads, he added.
Residents of the neighbouring Hazrapukur area also were suffering badly due to absence of a metalled road. There having no drainage system in the area, water logging has been created elsewhere in the area. Resident Sharifa Khatun said, even after requesting the local Councillor repeatedly, the connecting road to reach the main road just three-minutes walk, has not been constructed.
Such dilapidated, muddy roads are seen in the city's Kayerdara, Mid-Naodapara, Silinda, Daspukur, Raipara, Borobongram, Aliganj and many other areas. Residents of the areas are facing untold suffering due to accumulation of water in various low-lying areas, specially, on and beside the kutcha roads aftermath of the rainfall.
New residential areas are being developed at the opposite side of Naodapara Bus Terminal. But, the road conditions in those areas are very hazardous. In Boro Bongram Sheikhpara under ward-17 people were seen to traverse through muddy, water filled road
Councillor of Ward-17 Shahadat Ali Shahu informed, the tender for the construction of the roads have been invited and the work is continuing according to the packages. Gradually, all roads will be constructed.
Councillor of Ward-19 Touhidul Haque Sumon informed that waterlogging is the main problem of his area. He further said, due to erroneous planning of making drains by the earlier councillors such a situation has been created. However, he mentioned, he was trying to solve the problem temporarily by making sub-drains.
According to sources of RCC, works of a project entitled ' Rajshahi City Integrated Urban Infrastructure Development' amounting Tk 2,990 crore is continuing in all 30 wards of the city. The project works started in 2020-'21 and expected to end in
2023-'24 FY.
Nur Islam Tushar, Project Director and Superintending Engineer of RCC informed, the development works in all areas of the city are continuing. New roads and drains are being constructed under the project and after the end of the project, there will be no road and drainage problem anywhere in the city.
