The 45-kilometre Jhenaidah-Jashore highway turns into death trap where minor or major road accidents have been taking place every day. The buses and other vehicles cannot move smoothly on the under construction area as the construction authorities did not construct any suitable diversion road.
There are several minor and major holes in every kilometre of the highway. Additional time is spent on the roads as the drivers cannot run their vehicles easily due to the dilapidated road condition. Passengers are traveling on the road risking of their lives and properties.
The drivers of passenger buses, trucks, ambulance and other vehicles had demanded immediate construction of the diversion roads to avert accidents and damage of their vehicles.
When this correspondent visited Bishoykhali, Tentultala, Maharajpur and some other areas on Jashore- Jhenaidah highway, it was seen that buses, minibuses, trucks, ambulance and other vehicles were plying on the road risking the lives of the passengers and others along with their properties as huge cracks and holes were developed on the road. Huge area of the highway was swelled up due to excessive heat as those were not constructed with quality materials, locals said.
Many passengers of buses of Gorai Paribahan and Rupsha Paribahan, plying between Kushtia and Khulna, said the authorities had started the construction work of 45-kilometer Jashore-Jhenaidah six-lane road without making any wide diversion road. There is a diversion road which is very narrowed and substandard. The vehicles ply on the road risking the lives and property of the people.
They said the bus owners have been counting heavy loss and late fines as those fail to arrive in scheduled time daily, several drivers said.
Abdul Hannan, a driver of Khulna bound passenger bus Gorai Paribahan in Bishoykhali area under the highway said, he has to cross around 13 to 14 kilometers road on the highway which is badly damaged. However, the construction work completed about two years ago.
The condition of the highway at Bishoykhali, Tentultala, Kharikhali, Koyargachhi and Khoyertala area is very poor. The authorities had made diversion road which is risky, driver Abdul Hannan added.
Rupsha Paribahan driver Ali Imam said they are supposed to go to Kushtia from Khulna within 4 hours and 30 minutes and return within the same time. However, additional 30 to 40 minutes is spent due to bad condition of the highway and below standard diversion road.
Trucker Manjedul Islam said the truck drivers like him are in trouble as the tires and tubes of the vehicles are often damaged due to the bad condition of road. It has been increasing the management cost of his vehicles.
Some local representatives said sometimes the patients carried in ambulances, feel sick due to bad condition of the roads.
When contacted the authorities of Max Group, engaged in constructing the six-lane work of Jashore-Jhenaidah highway, denied to make any comments. On the other hand, executive engineer of Roads and Highways Department (RHD) in Jhenaidah, Hafizur Rahman, said that they were not supposed to express any comment as the work was handed over to the construction organization.
