KT Correspondent/

There have been allegations of massive irregularities in renovation work of a 1762 meter paved road from Mathurapur to Juniadah in Daulatpur upazila in Kushtia.

Locals alleged that carpeting work was finished with low quality bricks and bitumen even no bitumen at different places. As a result the carpeting is coming up as soon as shake hands.

According to the witnesses, the children of the roadside areas happily tossed the newly constructed carpet from the road which completed on Saturday (Attached video). Later the village seniors stopped the children and advised to inform the higher authorities.

Irregularities caused a rift among the people of the area. The area has witnessed stale protests due to irregularities.

According to sources, the work on the road, which had become unusable for several years, finally started in the grants of 2019-20 financial year.

Titu Enterprise, a Chuadanga based construction farm got the renovation work. The cost of the renovation is estimated at Tk. 69, 26, 28.

The contractor started work on December 29, 2019 fixed to be completed on March 12, 2020. But even after the passage of time, the contractor could not finish the work even.

Then Titu Enterprise left the job to a man named Nasir of the area who was now finishing work. Nasir has no license of construction work.

Local people alleged that Nasir and his men hurriedly finished the work with low quality bricks and bitumen during the heavy rain in last Saturday. The bitumen and other materials were used on mud and water on the road.

“We repeatedly told the workmen not to carry work in such way, but they did not pay heed,” alleged one Yad Ali of the area.

Locals alleged that the work is too poor to come up the pitch-stone carpeting from the road at Hossainabad Kandirpara village of the upazila. They alleged that bitumen has to be given on the road before carpeting but here carpeting has been done without any bitumen.

Then Yad Ali, over advice of local elderly people phoned to upazila Engineer of LGERD in Daulatpur Itekhar Uddin Joarder and informed him the matter.

“But without taking any step, few employees of the office came to the spot and threatened  me why I was dealing too much over the issue,” Yad Ali alleged.

This correspondent talked to the man Nasir who was carrying out the work. He claimed that he is carrying out the work in favour of Titu Enterprise and every step of the work is being checked by local LGERD office.

Upazila Engineer of LGERD Iftekhar Uddin Joarder said the work was going well and the people in his office were always on the job site, but action would be taken if there was any irregularities.
He, however, he said he did not threaten anyone.