The government will not build any more roads in haor region but flyovers will be constructed where necessary, said Planning Minister MA Mannan on Sunday.  The minister said this while distributing relief among flood-hit people of Patharia union in Shantiganj upazila in Sunamganj reiterating the Prime Minister’s stance against building roads in low-lying areas.  Read:Flood: Netrokona fish farm owners suffer losses of Tk 11.57 cr “The government has a mega plan for disaster response and rehabilitation of the flood-hit population has been given priority in it,” said MA Mannan.  Already the Prime Minister has visited the flood-hit region of Sunamganj and a big project will be taken for the devastated people here, he added.  “At first relief will be distributed and then will come the issue of rehabilitation. Those who have lost their houses will get assistance. The assistance is inadequate compared to the needs but humanitarian aid will continue and we will need to work jointly,” said the minister. Read: Flood waters receding again in Sylhet but food, water crises persist

Terming construction of flyovers in the city an ‘irreparable damage’ to the city, urban experts have called for taking pragmatic steps instead of spending huge money on such mega structures to improve the traffic situation.

The capital city has witnessed seven flyovers built in and around it over the past 15 years, aiming to mitigate its nagging traffic jams but the virtually unchanged situation posed a question whether these high-cost mega infrastructures are really an effective solution to one of the most crippling menaces of the mega city.