Dust, potholes turn Noakhali-Lakshmipur highway into daily ordeal

The long-awaited upgradation of the 29-kilometre Noakhali-Chowmuhani-Lakshmipur highway to four lanes has brought little relief to commuters so far, as the existing two-lane road has developed numerous potholes and become heavily dusty amid the ongoing construction.

The Tk569-crore project began in January and is scheduled for completion in 2029. Since work started, several sections of the old road have deteriorated, causing waterlogging during rain and clouds of dust after the water dries up.

The situation has caused daily suffering for passengers, pedestrians, local residents and transport workers, while long-distance travellers on routes to Dhaka, Chattogram and other parts of the country are also bearing the brunt.

The potholes are also damaging vehicles and increasing the risk of accidents. Slow-moving traffic has lengthened travel times, while passengers say fares on some routes have increased, with some claiming that fares have nearly doubled in certain cases.

At a recent monthly law-and-order meeting of the Lakshmipur district administration, Water Resources Minister and Lakshmipur-3 MP Shahid Uddin Chowdhury Annie expressed concern over the condition of the highway and directed the executive engineer of the Roads and Highways Department to take immediate steps to repair the damaged sections. Locals, however, said they have yet to see any significant improvement despite the directive. 

Motorcycle rider Md Shipon said prolonged exposure to dust is causing breathing difficulties, particularly among children, elderly people and those with respiratory problems. The four-lane project was eagerly awaited, but the condition of the existing road has made travelling increasingly difficult, he said. 

A bus driver carrying students of Raipur Kazi Farooqui School and College said he travels along the highway every day with around 45 students. “Dust is ruining the students’ uniforms, while potholes are damaging different parts of the bus,” he said, urging authorities to carry out regular repairs to keep the existing road usable until the four-lane project is completed.

Dr Arup Pal, resident medical officer of Lakshmipur Sadar Hospital, said prolonged exposure to polluted air and road dust can cause respiratory problems, asthma, fever, colds and lung infections. “Patients with such problems are coming to Sadar Hospital every day,” he said, advising people to wear masks while travelling on dusty roads. Md Yusuf, project manager of Rahman Engineering Construction and Builders, said repairing the old road was not included in their work order, but they were carrying out repairs as far as possible to facilitate traffic movement.

Ahsan Ulla Majumder, sub-divisional engineer of the Noakhali Roads and Highways Department, said necessary steps would be taken to repair damaged sections and reduce public suffering. Lakshmipur Roads and Highways Department Executive Engineer Md Nazrul Islam said water should be sprayed where necessary to control dust, although excessive spraying could affect construction work. 

He said contractors were repairing potholes on the existing road.