Lorries to stay off, gas stations open 24 hrs during Eid

All goods-carrying vehicles and ramshackle passenger transports will be whistled off while gas stations run round the clock for people's smooth journey home for celebrating the upcoming Eid.         
This is government's decision taken Tuesday in an inter-ministerial meeting, apart from other measures.  
Officials quoting the meeting decisions said movement of freight lorries will remain suspended for three days before and after Eid-ul-Fitre for smooth homebound journey of holidaymakers.
As per another decision, CNG stations will remain open 24 hours between July 10 and July 19 for refilling transport during the festival rush.     
The package decision also provides for staggered Eid vacation for hordes of garment workers to dilute heavy traffic load at a time.
No room for unfit road and water transports during the rush-time traffic.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges (MoRTB) organized the inter-ministerial meeting with minister Obaidul Quader in the chair to send in directives to all concerned for taking necessary action.
Ministers of rail and shipping, state ministers for home and local government, secretaries of ministries concerned, including RTH and Bridges divisions, rail, and LGRD attended the meet.
Mayors of Dhaka North City Corporation and Chittagong City Corporation, representatives of energy ministry, inspector-general of police, DMP commissioner, director-general of the Rapid Action Battalion, chief engineer of Roads and Highways Department, deputy commissioners and police supers from different districts were also present.
Also present were representatives from readymade garment sector, transport owners and workers and civil society.  
During the meeting, Road Transport and Highways Division secretary MAN Siddique informed that people's sufferings on roads would be alleviated this year "for the improvement of road conditions throughout the country significantly".
Like last year, he said, taskforce, mobile court and control room will be active to settle journey-related hassles on the roads, waterways and railways apart from vigilant teams at all bus terminals.
The meeting also issued directives for freeing the highways from illegal occupation, including establishment of haats and bazaars and the plying of illegal vehicles like nosimun, karimun, and battery-operated vehicles.
A call was also issued to halt all construction works, including on Maghbazar-Mouchak-Malibagh flyover, three days before the EId holiday starts.
The meeting also gave directives for providing necessary ferry, Ro-Ro ferry at all busy ghats and keeping wreckers and cranes ready at important points to ensure smooth movement of vehicles.
It also decided to hire wreckers from Bangladesh Army and ask for helicopter support in case of emergency on roads and waterways.
Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) was requested to arrange bus service from respective factory on their specific date of worker holiday to lessen pressure on the bus terminals and rail-stations.
The meeting requested all concerned not to take excessive fares from passengers and directed the police administration and others to be alert in this regard.
The secretary further said some requested the transport sector to use bypass roads as 12 new bypasses have been added on the road network to go to different directions.
"Transport owners and workers' leaders were urged not to ply vehicles double line and park haphazardly," he said.
The authorities also requested the law-enforcing agencies, including coastal police, to accelerate vigil to save people from balm party, hijackers during the vacation.
There will be more toilet facilities set up on the important highways, including Dhaka-Mawa route, for the convenience of zillions of wayfarers on holiday ride.      
The meeting was informed that perennial traffic jam on Tangail-Elenga road is hard to check as vehicles from different routes, including six-lane road, get on the single-lane Tangail road and it is hard to manage this traffic jumble when an accident occurs and unfit vehicle does not start.
The RTB minister said road will be safe this year for improvement of the road conditions.  Journey on Dhaka-Chittagong and Dhaka-Mymensingh routes would not be hazardous for people this year, he hoped.
"We have solved engineering problem but we cannot say there would not still be any traffic jam during Eid holiday," the transport minister said.
He requested all concerned to take speedy action for resolving traffic jam-related problems.
However, emergency haulage like transportation of perishables, medicines and garment exports on order will remain outside the purview of the restriction.         
    smunima@yahoo.com