15 warning points on Mymensingh route marked for Eid travel

As many as 15 points on the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway have been identified as potential points of concern for traffic congestion and other difficulties for Eid holidaymakers this year.

Drivers of long-haul transports on the highway, passengers and locals said they have faced traffic congestion throughout the year due to the illegal parking, makeshift stalls, and kitchen markets beside the road. They also say too many three-wheelers are operating along the route. When Eid approaches, the suffering of travellers usually intensifies, they say.

They worry this year will see the same problem.

However, police and other authorities responsible for monitoring the highway said they have prepared well to ensure unhindered travel for Eid travellers.

Drivers said that illegal kitchen markets, shops, tea stalls, garages and car parks are encroaching the highway at the Shikarikanda, Churkhai, Boiler, Trishal Bus Stand, Raghamara, Bhoradoba, Bhaluka Bus Stand, Hobirbari, Seedstore, Masterbari, Jainabazar areas and some other locations.

In addition, hundreds of sand-laden trucks are parked in rows on both sides of the highway at Churkhai until midnight. This creates traffic jams stretching a few kilometres, they say.

Abu Bakar Siddique, an Imam Paribahan driver who frequently travels on the highway, says: “We have to endure traffic jams first at Bypass and then at Churkhai if our bus sets off from Mymensingh city. People’s suffering will never ease if the sand-laden trucks on both sides of the highway aren’t removed before Eid.”

“In addition, illegal transports should be banned on the road before Eid. Otherwise transports can’t run at a regular speed. The common people going home (for Eid) will suffer from hours of traffic jams.”

Abu Faisal, driver of a sand-laden truck, said the drivers were compelled to park the trucks on the highway as they did not get the space anywhere else. “I know this shouldn’t be done. Maybe we would have parked somewhere else if the administration had taken strict action.”

Locals said that illegal structures, and raw material markets were set up on both sides of the Dhaka-Mymensingh highway at Bhaluka Bus Stand, Seedstore Bazar, Jamirdia Square and Masterbari. They occupied the footpaths, hindering the movement of pedestrians and traffic.

Also, three-wheelers such as battery-operated autorickshaws and minibuses regularly clog up the highway, they say. The vehicles stop along any location on the highway and pick and drop off passengers, which leads to traffic.

Homebound Eid travellers are expected to face severe troubles on the road.

Local resident Rezaul Karim said that Bhaluka Bus Stand, Seedstore Bazar, and Square Masterbari would see traffic gridlock unless the illegal structures, kitchen markets, battery-operated three-wheelers were removed from the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway for the Eid holidays.

“We have seen this every year. Regular travellers will have severe difficulties.”

Hossain Ali, a passenger who travels by the highway regularly, said: “In some places, kitchen markets were set up on both sides of the road. This creates traffic congestion, especially in the evening. We can’t reach our destinations on time. The highway may have long traffic jams if the kitchen markets aren’t removed before Eid.”

Bhaluka Highway Police Station chief Jahangir Alam said law enforcers have taken sufficient preparation to ensure uninterrupted travel for the homebound people during the Eid holidays. “We evicted the illegal stalls on the pavements and assisted the Roads and Highways Department to repair the potholes on the highway and clean up the trash on the road.”

“Also, the number of patrol teams has been raised from two to four.”

Illegal car parking sites and shops occupy a 25 kilometre-stretch on the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway in Trishal along the Kajir Shimla, Bailor, Kanhor, Upazila Sadar Mor, Bagan, Bogarbzar, and Signboard areas.

Buses, covered vans and good-laden trucks remain parked on the road in front of industrial factories. This creates the possibility of congestion as well.

Rana Mia, a driver of Soukhin Paribahan plying the Dhaka-Mymensingh route, said: “There’s no pothole or broken part on the four-lane Trishal section of the Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway. But if the authorities don’t stop illegal parking at every junction, Eid travellers will face hardships in the Trishal area.”

Drivers who use the highway to travel to Netrokona and Sherpur said that every year they confront traffic jams at the Patgudam Bridge in Mymensingh city. Traffic runs slowly on the bridge and the tailback can reach the Shambhuganj and Bypass intersections.

The government has begun to work on addressing the tentative traffic jams at 12 to 15 points on the Mymensingh section of the highway, says Khairul Bashar Mohammad Saddam Hossain, executive engineer of the Roads and highways Department. With the help of the local administration, they have cleared footpaths by evicting illegal stalls.

“Also, our mobile teams are working to repair the potholes on the highway.”

Mymensingh Additional Police Superintendent (Traffic) MM Mohaimenur Rashid said, “Like every year, a ‘special team’ of police will work to ensure homebound people can travel undisturbed during the Eid holidays.”

“The eviction drives on the highway have started already. We have increased monitoring at specific spots to reduce the difficulties of travellers. Law enforcers in plainclothes will work to ensure people are not harassed while travelling.”