Dhaka: The snail’s pace of construction work on the Moghbazar-Mouchak Flyover has turned irksome for those who commute regularly through the areas as they have to face immense sufferings for severe traffic congestions due to the dilapidated condition of roads caused by the project work.

Commuters face unbearable miseries while travelling through the roads connecting Moghbazar, Mouchak, Malibagh, Shantinagar Eskaton, Dilu Road, Siddeswari, Shatrasta and Rampura areas.

The roads that developed deep potholes due to the construction work turn muddy even after a little rainfall, putting commuters at risk of accidents.

As there is no traffic regulation, vehicles frequently make U-turns, blocking the movement of others.

Locals, commuters and pedestrians blamed the contractors for building the flyover without having any proper management in place to implement the project, which also saw the death of two workers in a road accident on 4 April last.  

Sabina Begum, a resident of Mouchak area, said, ‘It’s completely a bad planning…we’ve to wait in traffic gridlock for hours together if we want to go anywhere due to the construction work. Our miseries have aggravated with the advent of monsoon.’

Mahmudur Rahman, who works in a private firm in Mouchak area, said ‘Traffic jam in and around the project area will get worse during the Ramadan and upcoming Eid as there are at least five shopping malls in a close location there.’

While visiting some areas adjacent to the flyover project, the UNB correspondent found long tailbacks as the size of the roads along the project site has turned narrower due to the construction work, forcing the vehicles to move slowly.

The project work which, now scheduled to be completed within December 2015, started in 2013 instead of the original schedule in 2011.

Sources at LGRD Ministry said although the works on two segments of the project are scheduled to be completed by December, 2015, the possibility of completing that is highly unlikely.

Asked about the cause of delay in starting the work, project director (PD) MD Nazmul Hossain said its start was delayed as its financing, tender and processing had taken a long time.

He also said although the work was supposed to begin in 2011, the work orders for Package 4 (Satrasta-Holy Family Hospital) and Package 5 (Malibagh-Mouchak-Rajarbag) were given in November, 2012 while that of Package 6 (Iskaton-Moghbazar-Mouchak) in October 2013.

However, the PD said approximately 55 percent of the total project work has been completed so far and it is expected that the construction work on Package-4 and 6 will be completed within December, 2015 or January, 2016 while that on Package-5 will be completed within December 2016.

Contacted, Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sayeed Khokan said he asked the authorities concerned to complete the work quickly and the works on two packages will be completed within the next six months.

Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) BM Enamul Haque said they have nothing to do with the quick project work completion as the Local Government Rural Development (LGRD) department is the implementing authority of the project.

Secretary of the Road Transport and Highways division MAN Siddique said they ordered the authorities concerned to repair the roads adjacent to the flyover project fast so that vehicles can move freely.  

He said Road Transport and Bridges Minster Obaidul Quader also visited the construction site several times and ordered the concerned authorities to complete the project as quickly as possible.