Severe Traffic Jam on Nabinnagar-Chandra Highway Feared During Eid
Photo: Agamir Somoy
With the upcoming Eid holiday, the homebound rush of people has raised fears of a severe traffic jam on the Nabinnagar-Chandra highway in Ashulia, particularly on the northbound lane from Baipail to Sripur. The ongoing construction of the Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway has narrowed several sections of the road and created potholes, leading to this precarious situation.
A field visit revealed that due to the construction work of the Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway, the passage for vehicles has become constricted at several key points on the highway. Additionally, numerous potholes, both large and small, have formed at various places along the road. As a result, even during normal times, long traffic jams persist on this route.
The congestion multiplies in the afternoon, especially after factories close for the day. A journey that typically takes 10 minutes now requires one and a half to two hours for drivers and passengers.
Road users and drivers have expressed concern, stating that if the situation is already this bad, the conditions could spiral out of control when the Eid rush intensifies.
According to them, the Baipail to Sripur section could become a major source of suffering for passengers traveling to northern Bangladesh. Therefore, before the Eid journey begins, they are demanding repairs to the potholes and the deployment of additional police to ensure normal traffic flow.
Meanwhile, Project Director of the Dhaka-Ashulia Elevated Expressway construction project, Shafiqul Islam, said, "Steps have been taken to quickly repair the potholes caused by the construction work. Additionally, construction work will be temporarily halted once the Eid journey begins, so that homebound people do not have to suffer."
He further mentioned that over one hundred and fifty traffic controllers will be deployed on the under-construction sections to ensure normal traffic movement during Eid.
The Officer-in-Charge (OC) of Savar Highway Police Station, Sheikh Shahjahan, stated that the police are working to ensure a smooth and comfortable Eid journey. Additional highway police, traffic police, and district police will be deployed in areas where traffic jams are feared.
He also expressed hope that, like the last Eid-ul-Fitr, a comfortable journey for travelers can be ensured this time as well.
It is noteworthy that people from at least 20 districts of northern Bangladesh use the Nabinnagar-Chandra highway in Ashulia via the Chandra intersection in Gazipur to return home every Eid. Consequently, vehicle pressure on this highway is always high.
