Badiuzzaman Tuhin, Noakhali

The work on upgrading Cumilla-Noakhali regional highway to 4 lanes has been pending for 6 years due to the political conflict of the previous government's LGRD Minister Tajul Islam and Finance Minister Lotus Kamal.
Cases of encroachers, and land acquisition complications made the delay and two ministers logged in conflict.

Due to this, the passengers of Laksam, Noakhali and Laxmipur are suffering from traffic jams every day. The benefits of 4 lanes of this 59-kilometer highway are stuck for only 8 kilometers. Passengers and drivers are demanding that the highway project be completed quickly after overcoming the complications. However, the Roads and Townships Department says that the ministry has allocated land acquisition funds to complete the project.

Work will start soon. It is known that the Comilla-Noakhali regional highway is the only road connection route for the residents of the southern part of Comilla, Noakhali and Laxmipur. Although the work of upgrading the highway to 4 lanes started in 2018 at a cost of 2,170 crore taka, the work of the Comilla-Noakhali regional highway has not been completed for a long time due to land acquisition complications.

The project period has been extended 3 times so far, but the authorities have not been able to complete the work! However, although about 97% of the work of the road has been completed, the work of some parts of Bagmara Bazar, Shanichon and Laksam Bazar in Lalmai Upazila is pending. Drivers and passengers are suffering due to the non-completion of the road work for a long time.

The relevant responsible sources said that in 2006, a writ was filed in the court regarding the land acquisition complications in the Bagmara Bazar area, which the Road Department was not aware of.

Moreover, there is a land acquisition complication in the 1.6 kilometer area next to the house of Advocate Abdul Baset Majumdar in the 1.8 kilometer Shanichon section of Lalmai Upazila. It is known that the complications related to the case were resolved even earlier, yet the acquisition complications are stuck due to an invisible force. In addition, as per the decision of APP, an overpass will be built on a 4.5-kilometer road in Laksam.

The SAOJ authorities have long ago said that if the overpass is built, a four-lane road will be built on it! Sarjamin went to see that traffic congestion has increased in the Bagmara Bazar section of the regional highway due to the non-completion of the four-lane work. As more than three hundred auto-mixers ply in different areas around Bagmara Bazar, there is always traffic congestion on this road.

CNG driver Alamgir Hossain said, I travel from Laksam to Comilla every day, but when I reach Bagmara Bazar, I often have to stand in a traffic jam for 1 to 1.5 hours. Due to which it is difficult to pay the owner's rent regularly. Truck driver Zahir said, I have to take a truck rental from Nimsar Bazar to Laksam, Noakhali at different times to take raw materials, but due to the traffic jam in Bagmara Bazar, I cannot reach my destination on time, due to which I constantly face financial losses. Engineer Suniti Chakma said, the land acquisition issue is under process.

It is true that the project period has expired, the money has also gone but everyone knows the matter, I hope the government will give us money as soon as the land acquisition process is over and we will start the work.

In this regard, Cumilla Deputy Commissioner Md. Amirul Kaysar said, the case has been settled and now the land acquisition is underway. The file of the Land Ministry is under process for approval. The approval process will be completed very soon. We have the money ready. We will be able to complete the acquisition and finish the road work.