Eid holidaymakers may face tough journey on Dhaka-Paturia highway
Sunday, 24 April 2022
MANIKGANJ, Apr 23 (UNB): Eid home-goers are likely to face tough journey on Dhaka-Paturia highway due to traffic congestion as development work in parts of the highway has not been completed yet.
Transport workers said tens of thousands of people in 21 districts of the southern and western parts of the country travel through this highway during Eid.
This year the number of holidaymakers will be several times higher than in the last two years as the coronavirus situation has improved in the country, they said.
As road repair and development works are still underway, the home-goers might have to suffer a lot on the Dhaka-Paturia highway.
Roads and Highways Department (RHD) has been carrying out road widening and development work at least 10 points of the highway which is hampering normal traffic on the route.
During the Eid journey, pressure of vehicles will increase 4-5 times on the highway which will also cause suffering to passengers.
Drivers and transport workers have demanded immediate completion of the highway's development work.
RHD sources said all development works on the highway will be completed by April 24.
Roads and Highways Department (Manikganj) executive engineer Md. Gaus-Ul-Hassan Maruf said road widening, separate bus lane, bay construction, and development works from Nabinagar to Nayarhat and Paturia ghat which started in 2021 are in the final stage.
"We hope all points of Dhaka-Paturia highway will open to traffic one week before Eid," Maruf said.
Mohammad Golam Azad Khan, police superintendent of Manikganj, said additional police force will be deployed on the highway to ensure the safety of Eid holidaymakers.
"Adequate police force will be deployed on 36-kilometre long highway from Manikganj's Barbaria point to Paturia ferry ghat to ensure smooth vehicular movement and security of home-goers."
Movement of all goods-laden trucks will remain suspended for three days ahead of Eid. Besides, mobile patrol teams comprising additional police personnel will also be deployed at every bus stand, he added.