The New Nation - Internet Edition

Chittagong Correspondent

The construction work of Rangamati-Kaptai road is going on in full swing and it will complete within 2009, said Ashish Kumar Paul, Executive Engineer of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED).

A total of 50 per cent work of the road started from Ashambosti, a residential area under Rangamati pourashava, has been completed so far on an average, he said.

While asked Subash Tangchangya, a villager of Mitinggachhari area, a place beside the road, about the road he said, "The road would put a very positive impact in our life."

"We will experience advantage not only in plying but also carrying our products for selling in the market," said Subash, a local timber trader.

"If the Army had overseen the construction work of the road, it would be of a better quality," he said.

Villagers spontaneously donated lands for the 24-feet wide road costing Tk 21.51 crore, 24 per cent of which was funded by the Government and the rest by Asian Development Bank (ADB), said Ashish Paul and added the authorities divided the total work of the road into 20 schemes in order to finish rapidly considering to establish smooth communication for the people.

Of the 20 schemes, two have been completed cent percent costing Tk 144.68 lakh, he added.

The newly under construction road not only will add to boost in tourism area but also cut the existing road distance into half Rangamati and Kaptai and people can communicate using the new road with lower cost, said the LGED Executive Engineer.

The length of the existing road that leads to Kaptai upazila from Rangamati town through Ghagra area under Kawkhali upazila is 48 kilometres.

After inauguration work of the road in the 2004-05 fiscal year, the value of land beside the road began to increase gradually, said locals at Ashambosti, Tangchangya Para and Mitingachhari.

"We can create different job opportunities centring the road to boost our economic condition," they hoped.