S.A Shofiee, Sylhet :
Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) has been implementing Development schemes and projects for the fiscal year 2016-17.
The SCC authority hopes, if the development projects are materialized, the overall infrastructural development and the basic amenities and citizens’ life style will become comfortable. The projects include restructuring and reconstruction of roads with sideways expansion, excavation and re-excavation of canals, choras (small canals), construction of new drains, culverts, retaining walls on hillock-side roads.
Amongst all, the biggest project is to build up a Truck Terminal with an estimated cost of Tk. 23.95 crore. The Tuck Terminal is going to be built at Naikhai Mouja near Sylhet-Fenchugonj road where the trucks will terminate and stop without being parked sporadically. They are now parked beside Subhanighat road, Mehendibagh, South Surma Kadamtoli by-pass roads. With the construction and introduction of the said Truck Terminal, the traffic congestion of Sylhet City and adjoining areas will be put to an end, says the transport (truck) drivers and helpers.
The truck terminal’s shed, counters and offices of the owner’s and their enterprises will be housed in several brick-built sheds and buildings. It can be mentioned here that not only for merchandizing but also for transportation of stones from quarries, carrying vegetables and rice from North Bengal (Rajshahi and Rangpur Divisions) trucks from across the country reach Sylhet and terminate from Sylhet. With constructing and the establishment of truck terminal on 8.44 acres of land at Naikhai, South Surma the sufferings of businessmen, merchandisers, transports owners and workers will go and smooth transportation in all sectors will become comfortable and easier with the establishment of the said new truck terminal. The project started from January 2015 and will complete by June 2018, the SCC source added.
Under the auspices and financial assistance of World Bank, LGED and SCC have jointly been materializing a project known as Municipal Government Services Project (MGSP) at South Surma under Sylhet City Corporation. Under the jurisdiction of this project Babuchora UTP Referencing Drain will be implemented and Tk. 9 Crore have been earmarked as the cost.
Under the same project, Road from Kinn Bridge to Humayun Rasheed Memorial Square having distance of 1450 metres will be elevated to 4-lane Highway with the estimated cost Tk. 20 Crore. Besides from Kadatali Bus Trminal to Muktijuddha (Freedom Fighters) Memorial Square the Highway portion having distance of 1040 metres will be built under 4-lane category with the cost of Tk. 8 Crore. The drain construction beside the said road portion has been included in the project.
Moreover, with an estimated cost of Tk. 8.74 Crore, Noab Road, Bhatalia Road and 3 kilometres drain and 2.5 kilometres road will be completed within the ongoing fiscal year. The SCC run without an elected Mayor faces hardships as the foreigners are reluctant to offer financial assistance for the development project. Chief Engineer of SCC Mr. Nur Aziz Rahman says, the LGED ministry entrusted with the responsibility of costing budgetary allocation under the jurisdiction of Chief Executive Officer of Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) Mr. Enamul Habib.
Mr. Enamul Habib, CEO told this correspondent that with the government budget, the development projects are being materialized within Sylhet City Corporation and this has been done in 3 projects. He further asserted that Noikhai Truck-Terminal will complete in 2018.
