Ferry service in limbo for delayed renovation work

NAZIMUDDIN SHYAMOL
CHATTOGRAM Mar 30: Several lakh people of South Chattogram, particularly Boalkhali and Patiya upazilas, are undergoing immense suffering due to the ferry service disruption caused by delay in renovation work of the old Kalurghat Bridge.
Though the three months' schedule for renovation work of the Kalurghat Bridge ended in November last year, the work is yet to be completed.
In the meantime, two of the three ferries launched as alternatives to the bridge became inoperative due to technical fault on Thursday last. Consequently, thousands of people of Boalkhali and Patiya upazilas are suffering a lot as the lone ferry has been in operation since Thursday. Sources said many people from Boalkhali, Patiya and other upazilas on the other side of the Karnaphuli River commute to the city every day for job or business purposes.
On the other hand, many people from the city go to Boalkhali, Patiya and other upazilas of South Chattogram for various reasons. The lone ferry is causing traffic jams on both banks of the river. As a result, people have to wait for a long time now to get on a ferry.
Sources said renovation work of Kalurghat Bridge started on August 1 last year for the railway. And since then vehicular movement has been kept halted on the bridge. It was scheduled to complete the work within three months and resume vehicular movement on October 31 last year. However, train service to Cox's Bazar on Kalurghat Bridge started on November 5 last. Even after eight months, renovation work of the bridge has not been completed yet. Moreover, two ferries have now become inoperative.
Executive Engineer of Chattogram Roads and Highway Department Pintu Chakma said, "One of the three ferries has already broken. Another ferry has been closed since Thursday as its engine circuit burnt out. We will bring a ferry from Chandraghona to Kalurghat temporarily to mitigate sufferings of the passengers. The ferry is expected to arrive soon. Two ferries will reduce sufferings to some extent."
Sources said after renovation of the Kalurghat Bridge train may run to Cox' Bazar either from Chattogram or Dhaka smoothly.
Without renovation work, movement of train over the existing railway bridge at Kalurghat for the newly constructed rail line to Cox's Bazar is now risky.
The 239-metre-long Kalurghat dual-purpose bridge has now become unfit for both train and road traffic.
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