Slow progress, safety concerns as road divider work resumes at Dhaka's Technical intersection

For nearly two years, an unfinished road divider and foot-overbridge project at Technical intersection, one of the busiest areas of the capital's Gabtoli area, has created dangers for both pedestrians and vehicles.

Although work has resumed recently, the pace remains slow, and safety measures for workers and road users appear inadequate.

The road project began in January 2023, however, Dhaka North City Corporation halted the project in May that year after the previous contractor, Messrs SM Rahman International, was found cutting down mature roadside trees.

Following a report by The Business Standard and protests from environmentalists, Dhaka North blacklisted the contractor for a year and temporarily suspended two deputy assistant engineers for negligence and disobedience of orders.

Despite taking these steps, Dhaka North did not immediately take action to complete the unfinished work.

Sections of the divider were left in a hazardous condition, with exposed rods and broken concrete, while the foot-overbridge planned for the area also remained incomplete.

Dhaka North has now re-tendered the project and appointed Maisha Construction as the new contractor. Work has resumed in some sections, but progress remains sluggish.

A recent visit to the site revealed that while some sections of the divider are being worked on, large portions remain incomplete.

Additionally, the safety and security that should be present when working on this busy road were not seen. Workers were seen working without safety barriers.

On the road from Technical to Mirpur, the divider has half-finished concrete and exposed metal rods. On the road towards Kallyanpur, workers have started digging for the divider's foundation.

The foot overbridge remains unfinished, with only the foundation in place and no visible progress in installing the iron structure.

Safety concerns persist as well, as workers were observed operating on the busy road without proper safety barriers.

Md Nurullah, former chief engineer of Dhaka South City Corporation, told The Business Standard, "The phrase 'lack of coordination' is often used, but the bigger issue is the absence of a National Physical Plan, which is essential for coordination. Without it, there is no accountability, leading to prolonged work."

He added that it is crucial to have such a plan in place.

"The primary responsibility for ensuring safety lies with the city corporation, and there must be a mandatory budget allocation for safety measures in every project, ensuring it is spent accordingly. At the same time, agencies must adopt a stronger commitment to enforcing safety standards," Nurullah further said.

Yasin, a worker at the site, told TBS, "We have been working for about 10 days. It is difficult because the road is very busy. We are 10-12 people currently working, and it will take over two months to complete everything."

The prolonged delay and ongoing construction have caused significant inconvenience to residents and commuters.

Humayun Mridha, a local resident, said, "People have to cross the road at their own risk every day. Without the divider, pedestrians ignore traffic signals and cross from all directions. Vehicles also take U-turns through the broken sections."

A bus driver who regularly drives through the area echoed these concerns, saying, "Even if I am extra careful, pedestrians suddenly come onto the road. Sometimes, even hard braking is not enough to avoid accidents."

Under Dhaka North's "Road Safety and Traffic Infrastructure Development" project, four foot overbridges and road dividers at three locations, including Technical Intersection, are being constructed.

Nayeem Rayhan Khan, DNCC Executive Engineer (Traffic Engineering Circle), acknowledged the delays and stated, "We could not re-tender for a long time after removing the previous contractor. Now, Maisha Construction has been appointed as the new contractor. The work will be completed by December this year."

He added, "Since the foundation of the foot overbridge is complete, the upper structure can be installed quickly. We have instructed the contractor to expedite the road divider work as well."