Two days after completion of renovation work of a five-km-long portion of Kulaura-Chandagram regional highway stretching from Dakhinbagh bazar to Rotulibazar in Barlekha upazila, numerous cracks and potholes have developed on the road.

The road lies in awful state as substandard materials have been used in the renovation work, alleged locals

Moulvibazar-Kulaura via Chandgram regional highway is the only road for two upazilas -Baralekha and Juri -of Moulvibazar and some parts of Bianibazar in Sylhet district. Floods in 2016 and 2017 have badly damaged a stretch of five km of the road.

At the time, contractor Jamil Iqbal of the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) got the work order of Tk 93 crore for renovation of 17-km-long portion of the highway.

But the contractor started the repairing work of the road at the end of 2018. He later finished the renovation work of major portion of the road, leaving the five kilometres incomplete, said local people.

Abdur Rob, a journalist of Dakkhinbagh area, said two days after completion of the renovation work of the road, it became unfit for traffic and motor vehicles due to huge potholes and cracks, causing

immense sufferings to the commuters, especially local school and college going students.

As the contractor used low quality stones and bricks, a number of potholes and cracks developed just two days after completion of the renovation work of the road on Sunday, said another resident Khairul Islam of the area.

During a visit, this correspondent found that the carpeting wore away at many points of the road.

The contractor completed the repair work with low cost, otherwise the road would not have damaged at such a short time, locals apprehended.

Yusuf Ahmad, site manager of the contractor firm Jamil Iqbal, said according to the schedule, the road work was done.

He ensured the construction work with 100 percent sincerity but could not explain the reason behind the early damage of the road.

"We will repair the road if it is damaged," said Yusuf.

Moulvibazar RHD Executive Engineer Shariful Alam said stern action would be taken against the contractor concerned if found responsible for the awful condition of the road.

"We are investigating the matter," said the engineer.