Zakir Azad, Cumilla

Cumilla's 1200 km road is damaged by flood This year's flood has caused extensive damage to the road communication system in Cumilla . Many bridges and culverts have collapsed. In all, it is said that more than 1,200 kilometers of roads have been damaged across the district. Among these, the condition of some roads in rural towns is very poor and many roads have completely collapsed. Areas where flood waters have started receding; In those areas, the image of terrible damage to the road is emerging. Apart from this, the Comilla Chouddagram section of the Dhaka-Chittagong highway has also suffered extensive damage.

Vehicles have to move with risk in these places. In addition, municipal authorities said that more than 100 km of roads in Laksam, Chauddagram and Nangalkot municipalities were damaged. According to the latest information received from LGED , more than 11 km of roads have been damaged by floods across Cumilla . Some roads have become completely impassable. Also, 32 bridges and culverts were destroyed across the district. The amount of road damage is expected to increase. It is known that since August 20, various upazilas of Cumilla started getting flooded.

After that, as time went by, the severity of the flood also increased. Meanwhile, on August 22 at 11:30 pm, the Gomti river dam broke. Then one by one, out of 17 upazilas of the district, 14 upazilas were flooded. In addition to submerging people's houses and structures, the road communication system was cut off. Some roads were knee-deep in water.

After 10/12 days of continuous floods, water has receded from roads in many places. Flood wounds have surfaced. The roads of Burichong, Brahmanpara and Chauddagram upazilas were the most affected by the flood. Apart from this, the roads of Nangalkot, Laksam, Manoharganj, Barura, Chandina, Lalmai, Sadar Dakshin, Adarsh Sadar upazilas and other upazilas were also damaged.

However, the roads in Burichong Upazila facing the Gomti River's breach have suffered more damage. Due to the strong flow of river water, huge pond shaped holes were also seen in the middle of most of the roads. Burburia, Nanua Bazar, Berjal, Mahishmara, which are facing the collapse of the 1200 km road of Comilla, have been visited, the road communication system has completely broken down. Big trees on the side of the road were uprooted by Baner. A huge hole has formed in the middle of the road. If the roads in these areas are not renovated on an urgent basis, people will have to suffer for a long time.

Also, Bharsar, Ichapura, Kalikapur, Bhabanipur roads of Burichong upazila have broken and turned into ditches. Most of the rural roads of this upazila have been washed away. The same picture was seen on the roads of Chauddagram upazila. Several roads in different areas of this upazila have been severely damaged by the flood.

At some places, the traffic is stopped due to the collapse of the road and the creation of big potholes. Also the condition of Nangalkot-Bangadda-Bagmara road is dire. Almost every road in Manoharganj-Shanti Bazar, Chitoshi-Hasnabad, Tughuria-Uttar Howla including Laksam, Manoharganj and Nangalkot is in poor condition. According to LGED's list of damaged roads, 23 km road and two bridges/culverts in Meghna upazila of the district, 42.6 km road and 1 bridge/culvert in Homna upazila, 7 km road and one bridge/culvert in Daudkandi, 19 km road and one bridge/culvert in Titas. Culverts, 6.21 km road in Muradnagar, 70.10 km road in Devidwar, 70.6 km road and 6 bridges/culverts in Brahmanpara, 150.9 km road in Burichong, 24.4 km road in Adarsh Sadar Upazila, 79.2 km road in Sadar Dakshin Upazila. Roads and two bridges/culverts, 59.8 km road in Lalmai Upazila, 119.7 km road in Barura, 125.5 km road in Laksam, 78.8 km road in Manoharganj, 193.15 km road and 9 bridges/culverts in Chauddagram, 66.6 km in Nangalkot. Roads and 10 bridges/culverts, 10.8 km road damaged in Chandina. In all, 1,64 km of roads of the local government engineering department have been damaged. Cumilla Executive Engineer of Local Government Engineering Department. Sayeduzzaman Sadek said that many roads in Cumilla have been damaged due to floods. However, the exact amount of damage has not yet been ascertained.

Damaged roads, culverts and bridges in new areas are emerging every day as the water recedes. He said that the solder has collapsed in many places of these damaged roads, the road has been washed out in many places. The approach to the bridge culvert has washed out and the culvert has given way. Potholes have been created on the road. Necessary steps will be taken to reform them quickly. On the other hand, Executive Engineer of Roads and Public Ways Suniti Chakma said that 100 km of SOAZ road in Cumilla has been damaged due to flood. However, all the roads of the road and highway department are functional. Traffic is moving. We are taking initiative to quickly repair the damaged roads.