The construction of Khilgaon flyover has the least possibility for completion in a year because of 'slow land acquisition and mismanagement.'

Plights of commuters in and out of the eastern and southern areas of Dhaka have increased as the flyover, scheduled to be complete in February 2003, missed several deadlines. The latest deadline is June this year.

"The possibility to meet the June deadline is also dim. It's not possible to complete the construction in June 2005 either," said an official of Dhaka Transport Coordination Board (DTCB), who reports the progress of the flyover.

According to the original plan, the work on the flyover under a Tk 74 crore project began in September 2001 and was scheduled to be complete in February 2003. It was designed with three wings connecting Khilgaon, Razarbagh and Syedabad with 2,505 metres in length.

Earlier in June last year, the Local Government and Engineering Department (LGED), the agency to implement the project

financed by the government, said it would be able to finish the construction by December last year.

In November last year, LGED officials told The Daily Star that the flyover would be complete by June 30 this year.

The same officials now say it would be deferred again as there is a lot of uncertainty over 30 percent of the work. Builders claimed to have finished 70 percent of the construction.

"For one and a half years, we have been trying to acquire land along the flyover, but it could not be done because of an objection from a ruling BNP lawmaker. He is obstructing the land acquisition, saying his vote bank will be affected," an LGED official said, requesting anonymity.

With the officials dragging their feet on the project, the sufferings of locals have mounted, as traffic congestion is commonplace in the area.

"We want to get rid of the everyday ordeal of commuting through gridlock. We want hassle-free travel," said Tanim Sayed, a resident of Bashabo.

"It takes me more time to drive through the area because of traffic jam. Many residents are not happy with the progress

of the construction," Tanim said.

Lack of timely fund has also slowed the construction of the flyover. "We have received only Tk 33.90 crore out of Tk 74 crore from the government until now," said a high official working on the project. The high prices of iron rod are also slowing the work.

The LGED is yet to receive some formal documents from Bangladesh Railway (BR) and Public Works Department (PWD). Officials said the LGED has to acquire land in Sayedabad and Razarbagh to build ramps and loops for the flyover. Parts of the areas belong to the BR and the PWD.

They said the demarcation wall of an area in Sayedabad belonging to the BR has to be demolished and some furniture shops also need to be transferred from Razarbagh.

They added Rezaul Karim, the then director general of BR, decided in a meeting on December 23, 2003 to hand over the land to the LGED. But the LGED cannot demolish anything or acquire land, as it received only verbal approval.