Miscreants are removing nuts and bolts, Bahaddarhat flyover in poor condition

The Bahaddarhat-Lalkhanbazar flyover in Chittagong is in poor condition due to neglect and lack of proper maintenance. Miscreants are removing nuts and bolts of the flyover, increasing the risk of accidents. 90,000 trees planted for beautification have been uprooted below. The Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) says that the responsibility for maintenance lies with the City Corporation. However, the City Corporation says that a separate committee has been formed for supervision. The Bahaddarhat-Lalkhanbazar flyover, built at a cost of Tk 700 crore, is now practically without guardians. The miscreants have already cut off the connection to the girder. Later, efforts were made to hang wires on the poles to keep the lights on, but the lights have also been removed from there. Nuts, bolts and pipes have been removed from the steel girder. There is garbage and water everywhere on the flyover. Drug addicts have also built dens in shacks. Commuters are suffering from insecurity on this unprotected road. Truck driver Jamal said that the lights are not on at night. Many times, they have to drive in the dark. Whenever it rains, water accumulates on the flyover. And motorcyclist Afzal said that some people tie ropes on the flyover, which causes accidents by hitting their faces and bodies. Meanwhile, during rains, water accumulates on the flyover, which then rolls down on the pedestrians below. The scene below is even more horrific. Although a beautification work was done at a cost of 15 crore taka in 2019, it is now in disrepair due to lack of maintenance. Miscreants have removed the iron security fence from Muradpur to Gate No. 2. Trees and light stands have been uprooted. Houses have been built below, and drug addicts are living there. The CDA says that the responsibility of maintenance lies with the City Corporation. CDA Chairman Engineer Nurul Karim said, ‘The responsibility of this project is now with the City Corporation. However, we are also assisting them in their maintenance work.’ On the other hand, the Chittagong City Corporation says that a separate committee has been formed to supervise and prevent theft by juvenile gangs. Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain said, ‘The miscreants are taking away things in the dark of night. Juvenile gangs are meeting somewhere. We are trying to prevent them by forming ward-based committees to manage the situation.’ It is worth noting that this 4-kilometer-long flyover was opened for traffic in 2017. Currently, about 80,000 vehicles use this flyover every day.