The Sribordi crossing-TNT road, also known as VIP Road, in Sherpur looks more like a canal than a road due to the potholes developed on it.

The one kilometre-long section of the road has not been repaired for the last 12 years. There is no drain on either side of the road.  Big holes have been created on the road by the heavy vehicles plying on it. Brick layer and carpeting have mostly disappeared. Water remains stagnant in these potholes for a long time, even with very little rain.

Though that part of the road runs through the municipal town, it is under the control of the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED). It has now become unfit for use even by pedestrians.

There are some government and private offices on both sides of the road, including the upazila parishad office, upazila health complex, food silo, Telecom Bhaban, Shaheed Minar and Mathuranath Binodini Government Girls' High School, along with shops and residences.

More than 500 vehicles use it every day to carry goods and passengers from Kamalpur customs station in Bakshiganj upazila of Jamalpur to Rajibpur and Roumari in Kurigram. Besides, many light vehicles, including CNG-run and battery-run auto-rickshaws, ply the road every day.

Zahurul Haque, a stationery shop owner in Khamariapara, said the number of customers has decreased in his shop as the road has been submerged for a long time.

Mariam Akhter and Salma Begum, students of Mathuranath Binodini Government Girls' High School, said they face serious problem while going to school as their clothes sometimes get wet up to knees.

Ambulance driver Mohammad Ibrahim said serious patients suffer a lot while passing the road.

AZM Ruman, president of local social organisation Sribordi Local Voice, said local people formed human chains several times, demanding repair of the road, but the authorities concerned are indifferent to the problem. He said they even staged a demonstration planting paddy and arum on the road.

Sribordi Municipality Mayor Md Abu Sayeed said he has requested the LGED authorities to repair the road quickly for public interest.

Sribordi upazila engineer Md Jahangir Alam said a Tk 21 lakh tender would be floated soon for reconstruction of 600 metres of the road. The work in this regard was suspended through an order of the higher authorities as there was a risk of damage to carpeting in the monsoon, he added, saying that the repair work of the road would start soon.