48 more risky traffic spots identified on eight highways

The government expects safer and more comfortable Eid-ul-Fitr journey this year than last year, although the Highway Police has identified several challenges, including 48 more risky gridlock spots.
Risky traffic spots increased to 207 from 159 on eight highways last year, which the Highway Police considers challenging for smooth journeys during the upcoming Eid holidays.
Briefing journalists on the necessary arrangements made this year, Rail, Road Transport and Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam on Thursday said all concerned, including mobile courts, Highway Police, local administration, and representatives of transport owners and workers, would be more active than previous years to ensure smooth journeys.
"I want to assure that people are going to have comfortable and safe Eid journeys this year," he said during the press conference organised at the conference room of the Road Transport and Highways Division after holding meetings with all government and non-government agencies concerned.
The state ministers for road transport and bridges, railways, and shipping, along with secretaries and heads of various departments and agencies and leaders of transport owners and worker associations, were present.
When the minister was asked about fuel crisis during the Eid holidays following the Middle East war situation, he said the country had not reached the level to consider fuel crisis now.
But replying to questions on Eid-time extortion, he categorically said there was no scope for taking tolls, clarifying his earlier comment that money paid by owners and workers to their registered and legitimate associations should not be categorised as extortion.
He again cleared that since workers and owners collect this specifically for their own welfare, he does not consider it extortion.
But in reply to another question, Rabiul said stern action like the cancellation of route permits would be taken against those who would charge extra fares and extort money on the roads during Eid holidays.
He said no extra fare is charged from passengers for availing air-conditioned bus services, though the government does not fix any fare for passengers of such buses.
"The AC bus operators charge fixed fares, and there is no scope for taking extra fares from passengers," he answered when his attention was drawn to not fixing any fare for AC buses by the government.
Approximately 15 million people leave Dhaka within a span of two to three days before Eid and this constitutes a major challenge, said the minister, terming it rare in the world.
Citing the decisions made in meetings with all concerned to keep traffic flow normal on highways, the minister said directives had been given to free all lanes of highways by removing temporary shops, illegal parking, checking battery-run vehicles, unfit or risky vehicles, removing debris from the sides of highways, and completing the ongoing road repair works before Eid holiday starts.
Earlier, the Highway Police identified 207 critical spots prone to traffic congestion across the country. It spotted the highest 55 spots on the Dhaka-Tangail-Rangpur highway, 45 on Dhaka-Chattogram, 43 on Dhaka-Sylhet, 21 on Dhaka-Mymensingh, and 14 each on Dhaka-Aricha and Dhaka-Barishal.
Besides, nine spots were identified on Dhaka-Cox's Bazar and six on Jahore-Khulna highways.
Regarding waterway journey, the minister said two more ghats at Bosila and Kanchanghat were set up this year to reduce passenger pressure at the Sadarghat terminal.
smunima@yahoo.com