The construction of a perimeter wall in the Monpura Lake and Gerua adjacent areas of Jahangirnagar University (JU) remains stalled five months after the completion of the tender process.
Delays are reportedly due to land demarcation issues, surveyor recruitment, and heavy rainfall, which has led to allegations of mutual blame-shifting between the university’s Estate Department and the Engineering Department.
According to sources in the university’s Engineering Department, the work order was issued to the selected contracting firms on 31 March, following the conclusion of the tender process. Two firms, “Koba RD” and “M/S Azams”, were jointly tasked with the project.
Under the plan, a 1,500-foot boundary wall is to be constructed in the area adjacent to Monpura Lake, alongside a 750-foot wall in the Gerua area.
As part of the project, the boundary at the Gerua Gate area was demarcated and handed over to M/S Azams through a surveyor on 5 July. Despite this, construction work is yet to commence.
The Project Committee Member Secretary and Deputy Chief Engineer of the university Md Ashikur Rahman said that work could not begin earlier due to complexities surrounding the recruitment of a surveyor.
According to Rahman, the boundary-related issues have now been resolved. He said that it would be possible to start the work quickly in consultation with the contracting firms once a surveyor is appointed, adding that construction was also being disrupted by rain.
He added that although prior disputes with local residents had been resolved, new complications emerged once the initiative to construct the wall began, which continue to hinder progress.
Highlighting the urgency of the project, JU Treasurer Md Sohel Rana said that the construction of the boundary wall would be initiated swiftly, keeping the security of the university in mind. He said that project officials would be directed to start the work at the earliest.
According to sources in the Engineering Department, three other budgets had previously been approved for the construction and renovation of the university’s boundary wall. These projects include raising the height of the boundary wall along the road stretching from the Mir Mosharraf Hossain Hall Gate to BPATC and the Dairy Gate.
