Eid holidaymakers are likely to face a tough journey on the Dhaka-Paturia highway of Manikganj due to traffic gridlock as development works in some parts of the highway are yet to be completed.
Transport workers said tens of thousands of people in 21 districts of the southern and western part of the country travel through this highway during Eid-ul-Fitr, reports UNB.
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 repairing and development works are still underway, the home goers might have to suffer on the Dhaka-Paturia highway.
The Roads and Highways Department (RHD) has been conducting road widening and development works at more than 10 points of the highway which is hampering normal traffic movement on the route.
During the Eid journey, the pressure of vehicles will be increased 4-5 times on the highway which will increase suffering also for the passengers.
Drivers and transport workers have demanded immediate completion of the highway development works.
Meanwhile, RHD sources said all development works on the highway will be completed within 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 started in 2021 and are in the final stage.
“We hope all points of Dhaka-Paturia highway will be opened to traffic before one week of Eid,” Maruf said.
Mohammad Golam Azad Khan, police superintendent of Manikganj, said the additional police force will be deployed on the highway to ensure the safety of the Eid holidaymakers.
“Adequate police force will be deployed on 36 kilometres long highway from Manikganj’s Barbaria point to Paturia ferry ghat (Terminal) to ensure smooth vehicular movement and security of the home goers.”
The 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.