Rajshahi, Sept. 10 (V7N) - A major road connecting Baya and Tanore in Rajshahi has deteriorated badly, with large potholes, broken sections and waterlogged stretches making travel increasingly hazardous for motorists and pedestrians.
The road has become particularly dangerous during rain, when accumulated water turns several sections into muddy pools and makes it difficult to determine the depth of potholes.
Buses, trucks, auto-rickshaws and motorcycles are being forced to travel through the damaged sections at considerable risk. Pedestrians and students travelling to schools and colleges are also facing serious difficulties.
On Friday, Sept. 4, a passenger bus lost control while passing over a damaged section of the road and went into a roadside drain. All the passengers narrowly escaped injury. Local residents said the incident was the latest indication of the dangerous condition of the road.
Road improvement project underway
A road improvement project covering about 7.5 kilometres from Bayabazar to Kashimbazar in Tanore is currently under construction at a cost of nearly Tk 11 crore.
According to information provided by সংশ্লিষ্ট authorities, the project is being implemented under the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), with Saikat Enterprise appointed as the contractor.
The project began on June 15, 2025, and includes widening and strengthening the road, as well as the construction and improvement of drains, culverts and bridges at various locations.
Sources involved with the project said around 65 percent of the work has been completed.
The condition of several sections has nevertheless raised questions about the effectiveness and coordination of the ongoing improvement work.
It is also unclear whether the damaged section between Baya Girls’ High School and Teghor falls under the current project.
Concerns over wider road infrastructure
The infrastructure of the Tanore-Mundumala road has also come under scrutiny in recent months.
A report published by Ittefaq on May 13, 2026, said the 43-kilometre road was handed over by the Barind Multipurpose Development Authority (BMDA) to LGED in 2012. LGED subsequently widened parts of the road from Mundumala to Bagdhani to as much as 20 feet.
However, the report said several narrow culverts were not widened adequately to match the expanded road, leaving motorists exposed to accident risks.
Similar complaints were also reported in 2025, with reports alleging that while the road had been widened, the culverts had not been expanded accordingly.
The situation has raised concerns that merely widening or resurfacing a road is not enough to ensure safe and effective transportation without upgrading associated drainage and bridge infrastructure.
Drainage problems worsen road condition
Local residents have also alleged that a section of a roadside drain beside Himalaya Cold Storage has been occupied and is being used for a firewood and timber business.
They claim the alleged obstruction is preventing water from flowing normally through the drainage system.
Residents further alleged that newly constructed drainage facilities along the road are unable to function properly because parts of the water-flow route have been obstructed. As a result, even light rainfall causes water to accumulate on the road.
Prolonged waterlogging could weaken the road surface and its underlying structure, potentially accelerating further deterioration.
However, the allegation of drain encroachment needs to be verified through a physical survey and investigation by the relevant authorities.
Students and pedestrians at risk
Students travelling to Baya Girls’ High School and other educational institutions in the area are reportedly being forced to use the damaged road every day despite the risks.
In several places, walking has become difficult because of mud and standing water.
Local residents said the risks increase significantly at night and during rainfall. When potholes fill with water, motorists cannot easily determine whether they are shallow or deep, increasing the possibility of accidents.
Residents have questioned the apparent contrast between the billions of taka being invested in road development projects and the continued presence of badly damaged, waterlogged and accident-prone sections in the same area.
They have called for the authorities to make public details about which sections of the road fall under which projects, the amount allocated, the scheduled completion period, the contractor’s progress and the system used to monitor the quality of the work.
They have also demanded surveys of the roadside drains to determine whether any sections fall within government property and, if so, the removal of illegal encroachments.
They called for drainage routes to be cleared and dangerous sections of the road to be repaired on an emergency basis.
Residents warned that although the recent bus accident resulted in no casualties, a future accident could be far more serious.
They urged the authorities to make the road safe immediately rather than waiting for a fatal accident before taking action.
END/MRA/SMA/
