Babul Akter, POBNEWS24, Paturia, Jul 18, 2021 : Due to the high flow of ferries on the Paturia-Daulatdia in the river Padma, heavy traffic jams were reported in the ghat area on Sunday. Queues of vehicles for about 5 km from Paturia-Dhaka highway to Navgram for ferry crossing. As a result, passengers have to wait for hours for the ferry to reach the ghat area.
Passengers say that there is so much suffering 3-4 days before Eid and how much suffering there is 2-1 days before Eid.
Truck drivers have started competing for ferry crossings after the BIWTC authorities decided to close truck crossings three days before and three days after Eid.
According to the BIWTC sources of the Aricha office, most of the ferries plying on this route are very old. Due to this, about two ferries a day are crippled due to mechanical faults and Paturia floating factory is lying in Madhumati. At present 15 ferries are crossing the route. However, on the occasion of Eid, another ferry named Shah Jalal will be brought on this route in a day or two.
Meanwhile, due to strong currents in the river, the ferry crossing takes almost twice as long. Hanif bus driver Akash Chowdhury, who left from Gabtali in Dhaka for Khulna, said the bus left Gabtali at 8am on Sunday and reached Paturia Ghat around 8:15 am. Many such bus drivers are waiting for the ferry crossing.
The passenger of the bus Lima Akhter said, her house Khulna Sadar and her husband works in a private company. They all go home 2-1 days before every Eid. But even though her husband is not on leave, she is going home with their children earlier this time for fear of traffic jam in the ghat area.
Many such passengers are taking pills with their children for fear of getting stuck in traffic during Eid.
Zillur Rahman, DGM, BIWTC, Aricha Office, said the traffic jam was caused by the crossing of vehicles with 15 ferries on the route and the increase in the pressure of various vehicles due to homecoming passengers on the upcoming Eid.
