Several thousand vehicles stranded at terminals

Snarl-up of vehicles on the road to Paturia ferry terminal stretched up to about five kilometres yesterday due to disruption in ferry service caused by fall in water level of the Padma. PHOTO: STAR

A snarl-up of vehicles stretching about five kilometres was seen on the road to Paturia Ghat at about noon yesterday. The queue was at least three kilometres long at Daulatdia on the other side of the river.

The dislocation started on Sunday as two out of the three ferry terminals at Paturia became inoperative due to deposit of silt. Ferry boats can not approach the two terminals, sources in Inland Water Transport Corporation (IWTC) told this correspondent yesterday.

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The number of ferries in the routes was also reduced due to fear of being damaged or running aground on underwater shoals.

IWTC Deputy General Manager Mohammad Shahabuddin said two of the three terminals at Paturia remained inoperative since Sunday.

In addition to this problem, ferries currently in operation are also carrying only one third of their normal loads as a precautionary measure. This has added to the traffic jam, he said.

BIWTC sources said two ferries got stuck in the shoals near Paturia ferry terminal in last two days. The water level is falling by about six inches in 24 hours.

BIWTA (Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority) sources said they are dredging the river with three dredgers to make the routes somehow navigable. Two more dredgers will be pressed into service soon.

If dgedging by five dredgers continues, normal ferry services may be restored in two or three days, they said.