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Paturia-Daulatdia Route

Holidaymakers worried about traffic congestion

Our Correspondent, Manikganj
Every year during Eid festivals, several hundreds vehicles remain stranded for hours in the tailbacks on both sides of the Paturia-Daulatdia ferry ghat.
In the past years the tailback went as long as 11km, and people had to perform their Eid prayers at the ferry ghat due to traffic congestion.
The position of Daulatdia ferry ghat is no better, raising concerns of holidaymakers ahead of the upcoming Eid vacation.
The three and half nautical miles river route is the channel through which 21 districts of the southwestern part of the country connects with the capital.
Contacted, officials of Bangladesh Inland Water Transportation
Corporation (BIWTC) said traffic congestion on the ferry terminals are created due to a shortage of ferry, navigability crisis of rivers and natural disasters.
However, the traffic congestion will be tolerable this year, they added.
"It normally takes between 35 and 40 minutes to cross the distance by ferry, but there are only 15 ferries for 4,500 vehicles a day," said Zillur Rahman, ACM of BIWTC Aricha Sector.
A few days before Eid, the flow of vehicles on the route doubles, he added.
The official said sixteen ferries are now operating on the route.
Three ghats on Paturia side in Manikganj and two ghats on the Daulatdia side in Rajbari district are ready this year following last year's river erosion.
Seeking anonymity, many bus drivers of the route said although the authorities give many assurances every year, commuters nonetheless face terrible suffering during Eid holidays. Most of the ferries are worn out with age, and are not maintained properly, they said, adding, it takes almost double time to cross the route by ferry.
A group of local influential people along with a faction of officials from BIWTC, B1WTA and police are giving some dishonest drivers extra advantage in exchange for money, the anonymous bus driver claimed.
Additionally, many passengers cross
the Paturia-Daulatdia route in the Padma River by engine-run trawlers. There are 18 such trawlers are plying the Paturia-Daulatdia route illegally. The movements of such boats have been prohibited on the waterway as ferries ply the route.
However, these boats are still operating evading all bans, and carrying more passengers turning the journey unsafe and sometimes fatal, officials say.
On an average, 10,000 passengers cross this route every day which increases to around 50,000 during holiday season, said Mohammad Faridul Alam, traffic inspector of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) in Aricha.
A letter has been sent to Manikganj and Rajbari district police to stop the
movement of the trawler engine-driven boat, he said.
Asked about giving advantages to others in exchange for money, Manikganj Superintendent of Police Rifat Rahman Shamim said it will be investigated and if the allegation is proved, legal actions will be taken against the accused.
Meanwhile, Deputy Director of Local Government and in charge of Manikganj Deputy Commissioner Abdul Matin said additional police will be deployed in the ferry ghat areas along other law enforcers to ensure hassle free commute of holidaymakers.
There will be a mobile court headed by a magistrate and alongside there will be medical teams to give the passengers prompt services like previous years.