SANTHIA, PABNA, Mar 15: Due to land acquisition complications and lawsuits, the development work of Gagrahkhali-Sonatala Bypass Road in Santhia Upazila of the district has been suspended.
The road development work was supposed to be completed in one year. But four years have already been passed.
In 2019 the road development work started. According to the work schedule, the work was supposed to be completed in June, 2020.
After doing the work of four kilometre (km) of the eight-kilometre road, the development work was closed. The road work has been remaining suspended for about last two years.
Locals are suffering communication seriously. Besides, a culvert has been built in Patgari Village in the upazila without road. In the absence of link roads, it is coming of no use.
According to Roads and Highways Department (RHD)-Pabna, with the land acquisition, the Bypass Road development work started on July 24 in 2019. The development cost of the 8km road was fixed at about Tk 23 crore.
The work order was given to Dhakas MM Builders & Engineering Limited. This contracting firm widened by narrow road by earth filling and started work to widen the road and construct culvert. Some parts were cemented.
According to field sources, most of the extended roadsides belong to individual land owners. So land owners protested. They demanded compensations and filed lawsuits. And the running work became suspended.
Victim land owners of Teghori Village Sayed Golam Mawla, Golam Rasul, Holam Kibria, Golam Mostafa, Abdul Sattar, Abdul Wahab, Abdul Bari, Abdul Bachhed, Jahangir Hossain, Alamgir Hossain, and Rizia Khatun said, "We filed case on August 27 in 2019 demanding land compensation. Now we are waiting for verdict. If we get compensation, we will lift the case."
Locals said, due to two years work suspension, the road has been unfit for communications. Transports are committing accidents on the risky road.
Rafiqul Islam of Patgari Village said, "We dreamt a lot with the road. Now our dream has turned a bed-dream."
Farmer Abdul Hamid said, "After cutting crop in fields, we have to bring this on heads. In the absence of link roads, we have walk beneath the culvert."
School students of Patgari Village Munna and Limu said, "We can get on this culvert. Rounding other way, we go to school."
Manager of MM Builders & Engineering Limited Prallad Kumar said, "The contract with us has been cancelled due to the land acquisition complication and case."
Executive Engineer of RHD Mansur Ahmed said, Tk 13.85 crore was handed over to the district administration for land acquisition; few lands have already been completed; other lands are under process of acquisition; after the land acquisition, a proposal will have to be sent newly; if approved, then the work will start through new contractor.
