Carpeting of a four-kilometre-long newly renovated road in Barguna's Patharghata upazila is getting damage at different points even before handing over the road resurfacing work.

Local people, however, blamed use of sub-standard materials in the construction work and lack of supervision by the authorities concerned as well.

During a recent visit this correspondent found the newly constructed road, stretching from in front of Patharghata Upazila Health Complex to Haringhata Eco Park, has developed numerous cracks at different spots withing three months of the road resurfacing work.

According to Patharghata Local Government Engineering Department (LGED), a tender was called to construct the four-kilometre road, under Road Widening and Strengthening Project, in 2022-23 fiscal year.

Abul Kalam Azad, a contractor from Patuakhali, got the Tk 6.72 crore work order that started in June 2023 and was scheduled to the completed by June this year.

However, two local contractors from Barguna -- Mohammad Shahin and Shahidul Islam Mridha -- took the sub-contract of the work and implemented it.

Local resident Mojibur Rahman said they were happy to see the road work done, but soon got disappointed after seeing the newly resurfaced road collapsing at many points within three months of its construction.

Patharghata Sadar Union Parishad (UP) Chairman Alamgir Hossain said the situation arises due to lack of proper supervision and carelessness by the authorities concerned.

Although LGED has been informed about the irregularities on several occasions, but to no avail, he added.

Despite repeated attempts this correspondent could not contact one of the sub-contractors Shahin for his comment in this regard as he did not receive the mobile phone.

While talking, another sub-contractor Shahidul said construction of the road has been done as per the work schedule.

Patharghata LGED Upazila Engineer Chandan Chakraborty said the contractor concern is yet to hand over the project officially and it is his responsibility to repair the damaged portion of the road.

Contacted, Sultana Nadira, lawmaker from Barguna-2 constituency, said the upazila LGED engineer has been asked not to pay the final bill until the road repair work is done.