Traffic jam eases at Paturia

Dredging continues at the still-inoperative terminal at Paturia. BIWTA officials hope to make it functional soon. PHOTO: STAR

Two out of the three terminals are now operational at Paturia terminal and the rest one will be functional soon, BIWTA General Manager (Commercial) Mohammad Ali told this correspondent.

No snarl-up of buses was see. But there was a long queue of trucks, allegedly due to irregularity by a section of BIWTC employees in booking vehicles.

Tap here to add The Daily Star as a trusted source

Sources said the BIWTA (Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority) is making frantic effort to remove sands deposited in the channel and is hope full about opening the new channel by today (Sunday).

A team of high officials of BIWTA and BIWTC (Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation) visited Paturia yesterday to observe the situation. They included BIWTA Member Engineer Firoz Ahmed, Additional Chief Engineer Abdul Motin and Executive Engineer (dredging unit) Saiful Islam; and BIWTC General Manager (Commercial) Mohammad Ali and General Manager (Marine) Capt. Showkat Sardar.

BIWTA Member Engineer Firoz Ahmed said they are dredging the river with five dredgers to make the routes somehow navigable. Normal ferry services could be restored by Wednesday, he told this correspondent.

Five dredgers removed about 75000 cubic meters of silt from in front of Paturia terminal since the operation began on September 7, he said.

At least 12 lakh cubic meters of silt will have to be removed only from the Paturia terminal area to ensure normal ferry operation. This will need Tk 10 Crore, he added.

Some 800 loaded trucks were seen lined up at Paturia and Doulatdia terminals at 5 pm yesterday, waiting to be ferried across the river.

On the other hand, irregularity was seen at booking counters in both the ferry terminals as a section of BIWTC employees were realising Tk 1000 to Tk. 1200 per truck in place of Tk 770.