Our Correspondent
CUMILLA, Oct 19: A U-turn at the Paduar Bazar area of the district on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway has become a death trap.
Five people died in the area within a week last month. Besides, people are often injured as accidents often occur here. Locals demanded construction of a flyover to prevent accidents in the area.
According to sources, on September 22, a pickup van collided head-on with a microbus in the Paduar Bazar U-Turn area. The microbus was going from Chowara Bazar to Cumilla City.
The microbus passenger Jahangir Hossain and his wife Shilpe Akhter were killed in the accident. They were residents of Hirapur village of Chowara Union in Sadar South upazila. Seven more were injured in the incident.
On September 15, three youths were killed when a motorcycle was hit by a bus in the same area. The bus was on the wrong side using U-turn. Besides, accidents take place there almost every day.
Locals said there are two link roads on the north and south sides of the U-turn. Link road transport also uses U-turn. In addition, hundreds of cars pass through the main highway of the country every minute.
Using this U-turn, the transport of Noakhali, Lakshmipur and Chandpur routes enters from left lane to right lane.
Locals said, there is no traffic system. This is why there is no discipline in using U-Turn. Every driver wants to go first.
Locals also said that most cars on the highway do not slow down speed at the U-turn. There is a railway overpass on the west side of the U-Turn. If a overpass like the Feni Railway overpass is constructed, the risk of an accident here will be eliminated.
On the other hand, the highway dividers at Paduar Bazaar hamper movement of people. People cannot easily move from one side to the other. There is only one foot over bridge but many people do not want to use the foot over bridge due to various reasons.
Paduar Bazar trader Shah Faisal Karim said traders are also being affected.
Abdul Hai Bablu, organising secretary of Cumilla Metropolitan Awami League, said it is necessary to build a flyover here. It will reduce the risk of traffic and accidents.
Highway Police Cumilla Region Superintendent of Police Nazrul Islam said the accident took place at Paduar Bazaar U-Turn at different times. The Department of Roads and Highways can take necessary measures to prevent accidents.
Roads and Highways Division, Cumilla, Executive Engineer Dr Md. Ahad Ullah said, "We will do U-Loop in the area. In addition, signages will be set up in the area. Hopefully this will reduce the accident."
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