This time Nabinagar-Chandra highway may become a cause of great suffering for the passengers of North Bengal during the Eid journey. Due to the construction work of Ashulia Elevated Expressway, the movement of auto-rickshaws on the road and broken roads, passengers and transport-related people are afraid of suffering several times more during the Eid trip.
Construction of expressways and narrow roads
It has been seen on the ground that the construction of Ashulia Elevated Expressway is currently going on across the Nabinagar-Chandra highway from Bypile to Sreepur. Construction materials, rods, concrete blocks and heavy machinery piled up on various parts of the road have severely narrowed the road at many places. This disrupts the normal traffic flow and even a slight increase in vehicle pressure creates long traffic jams.
A transport worker named Alam expressed his anger, “Due to the construction work, the road has become narrow at many places. As a result, if a vehicle breaks down, there is a long traffic jam. Due to the construction materials on the side of the road, it is also dangerous to pass the vehicle.”
Excessive pressure from slow traffic and industrial areas
Locals said traffic was slow at several important points on the highway for most of the day. Since, it is an industrial area, heavy traffic is regularly heavy on this route. Added to this is the uncontrolled movement of battery operated rickshaws, auto rickshaws and other slow vehicles. The situation has become more complicated due to the plying of these prohibited vehicles on the main highway.
The regular passengers of this route have expressed fear of long suffering from the previous year's bitter experience. They complain that the administration has given various assurances during Eid but in reality the traffic jam is not fully under control. Especially, in the last two-three days before Eid, the situation can take a more dire shape if there is an additional pressure of people including garment workers on the highway.
Administration preparation and expert advice
The concerned authorities have claimed that all preparations have been made in advance to keep the Eid trip smooth. Along with highway police, members of various voluntary organizations will also be active in the field to control traffic congestion and maintain order on the roads. The administration has also announced plans to deploy additional police at key points, increase vigilance to prevent accidents and speedy removal of any vehicle with wreckers if it breaks down.
GM Mintu, president of Ashulia branch of Safer Roads Chai (Nischa), said, “There is no alternative to concerted efforts to restore order on the roads. Especially, during the Eid period, there will be no way to reduce traffic congestion unless slow moving vehicles are completely stopped and construction materials are quickly removed from the roads.”
Gazipur Highway Police Officer-in-Charge (OC) Sheikh Shahjahan said that the police will be on the ground round the clock to deal with the increased traffic pressure due to Eid. In case of traffic congestion, immediate action will be taken and every effort will be made to ensure safe and comfortable journey of the passengers.
Despite various initiatives and assurances of the administration at the field level, millions of passengers in North Bengal are now extremely worried about how comfortable the Eid journey will be in the end due to the ongoing construction work, scattered markets and slow traffic on the Nabinagar-Chandra highway.
