Three culvert projects in Singair have stalled, leaving residents in three unions struggling with unusable structures after the contractor allegedly abandoned the works midway.
The projects were implemented under the Department of Disaster Management, but local people say the culverts remain either incomplete or unusable due to the absence of connecting roads despite the expiry of project deadlines.
Sources at the upazila project implementation office said contractor Anis Enterprise was assigned to construct three culverts at Fordnagar Mollapara in Dhalla union, Beparipara in Jaymontop Union and Rifatpur Chak in Chandhar Union.
However, the projects have remained unfinished even after the scheduled completion period ended.
A visit to the Fordnagar Mollapara site in Dhalla Union found that construction of an 11-metre culvert stopped after the base casting stage.
The project was approved at a cost of Tk40.50 lakh, with work beginning on 16 May 2024 and scheduled to be completed by 16 November the same year.
Residents said no labourers or construction activity had been seen at the site for nearly a year.
As a result, villagers are forced to use an alternative earthen road for movement.
“Once the monsoon begins, the situation will become severe,” village resident and deed writer Ayub Molla said.
“If the work is not completed quickly, people in the area will face serious difficulties,” he said.
In Jaymontop Union’s Niltek Beparipara area, a 6-metre culvert constructed at a cost of Tk23.64 lakh has remained unusable for around a year.
Although the main structure was completed, soil has not been filled on either side to create approach roads, preventing residents from using the structure.
Locals said people from the eastern and western sides of the area are facing daily difficulties due to the lack of a functional crossing.
A similar situation exists at Rifatpur Chak in Chandhar Union, where another 11-metre culvert was constructed on the Dalipara-Rifatpur road at a cost of Tk40.50 lakh.
The project period ended about a year ago, but the culvert remains effectively unusable because soil has not been filled on the connecting road.
Locals alleged that the contractor has already withdrawn around Tk20 lakh in bills from the project despite the unfinished work.
Chandhar union Ward No 5 member Kolimuddin Sikdar said the contractor had paid little attention to repeated demands from local residents.
“The contractor is not giving us any importance,” he said.
“We demand that soil be filled on both sides quickly so that people can use the culvert,” he said.
Anis Enterprise proprietor Md Anisur Rahman denied abandoning the projects and said the work had been halted temporarily due to a shortage of manpower.
He said construction would resume in full from next week and expressed hope that the projects would be completed by June.
Singair Upazila Project Implementation Officer Md Ahadi Hossain said the contractor had been urged several times, both verbally and in writing, to complete the work.
He said claiming bills without completing the work was irregular and warned that action could follow.
“If the work is not completed quickly, a recommendation will be made to cancel the contractor’s licence,” he said.
Residents say the unfinished projects have raised serious questions about accountability and fear that their suffering will worsen once the monsoon begins unless the works are completed urgently.
