Northern districts are enriching the development as Bangladesh is changing positively. In particular, many infrastructures including universities, city corporations, and metropolises are now visible, starting the achievement of this development highway is going to be the most expensive ongoing project 'Rangpur-Dhaka six lane highway'.
Construction of the much-anticipated Rangpur-Dhaka six-lane highway began in January 2019. Within a few months, the epidemic, including floods, heavy rains and waterlogging, have been hampered by the cost of the project. The construction of this coveted highway has not stopped even after so many things. As the days go by, the construction work is progressing fast. Project stakeholders say 50 percent of the 51-kilometer-long highway from Palashbari in Gaibandha to the modern junction in Rangpur city has already been completed. Six lanes overcoming various problems and crises
The entire area of this highway is visible in Pirganj area of about seven kilometers. Engineers, including construction workers, are now busy painting a picture of the entire project in just one kilometer. There are new surprises on the highway with the construction of sophisticated underpass. Wazed Mia Toran. This state-of-the-art and beautiful archway is being constructed at Fatehpur in Pirganj upazila. As soon as people enter Rangpur district from Dhaka, they will notice the progress of the six-lane highway. It is learned that the 51 km long highway will be from Palashbari of Gaibandha to the modern junction of Rangpur city through Pirganj and Mithapukur of Rangpur district. The construction of bridges and culverts on this highway has already been completed.
The complexity of land acquisition on both sides of the 14 km road within 23.5 km from Baradarga of Pirganj to Rangpur Modern Junction has also been resolved. The survey work has also been completed. Of the 23 km of roads here, construction of 18 km is in progress. The construction work of six lanes under Package No. 8 of 26.2 km road from Palashbari to Baradarga has been completed in about 50 to 45 percent. The pace of work is increasing day by day. The construction of the six-lane Rangpur-Dhaka highway is expected to be completed by 2022.
Engineer Afid Hossain, project manager of Road Construction Project Package-6, said construction work of about 25 km of road is in progress from Palashbari of Gaibandha to Baradarga of Pirganj in Rangpur at a cost of Taka 525 crore. Of these, six lanes are visible on three kilometers of road in Khedmatpur area of Pirganj and three kilometers in Pirganj area. He said 240 acres of land have already been seized.
The land owners have been compensated through the Rangpur Deputy Commissioner. Construction of all the 30 culverts on both sides of the highway has been completed under package number 7. A flyover with a circumference of 18 meters will be constructed at Palashbari section of Gaibandha on the highway. Besides, overpasses will be constructed at Dhaperhat and Laldighi in Pirganj. The six-lane road will have four-lane high-speed vehicles. The other two lanes will be used by light vehicles.
Engineer Afid Hossain said Tk 480 crore has been allocated for the 23.5 km road from Baradarga in Pirganj to Modern Junction in Rangpur under the road construction project package-7, adding that there are 16 culverts and four bridges under the construction work. Of these, construction of two major bridges has been completed, which is now awaiting inauguration.
Meanwhile, the conscious community of Rangpur has demanded to complete the work of this six-lane highway within the stipulated time. At the same time, they called upon the administration to cooperate in resolving land issues in the interest of development. Sabuj Ahmed of Shathibari Bazar area of Mithapukur upazila said that although it is late, a six lane highway is being constructed in Rangpur.
People are happy for this. The government should take care that the construction work is completed quickly. Erfan Haque of the same area said development activities were being hampered due to land acquisition complications. The way this project is being worked, the construction is not likely to be completed in 2023. In order to complete the work within the stipulated time, the supervision of the concerned department of the government has to be increased. At the same time, in the interest of development, we all have to give a little concession.