Suffering from broken roads and 'unwanted' tolls
Narayanganj representative
Published: 02 October 2024, 10:31
https://www.ajkerpatrika.com/360006
Asian highway in Narayanganj Rupganj full of potholes. Because of this, most of the time traffic jams are created on that road. Pedestrians and common passengers suffer. Recently in the Kanchan area of the highway. Photo: Today's Newspaper
Asian highway in Narayanganj Rupganj full of potholes. Because of this, most of the time traffic jams are created on that road. Pedestrians and common passengers suffer. Recently in the Kanchan area of the highway. Photo: Today's Newspaper
Asian Highway (Bypass) is full of potholes in Rupganj of Narayanganj. Although the road has not been renovated, the toll of the Kanchan Bridge is being collected properly.
All in all, the road has now become a road of misery. It takes one and a half to two hours to cross the road of only two and a half kilometers. Thousands of working hours are wasted.
Recently, local students and local residents protested to demand the renovation of the road and stop the toll of Kanchan Setu. Later on the assurance of the army and the upazila administration, the protestors moved away. However, the road department or the upazila administration has not seen any effective action yet.
According to related sources, the Kanchan Bridge located on the Asian Highway was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in October 2006. At the time of inauguration, the toll was supposed to be collected for up to 10 years, but it is still being collected. Sauz claims that the toll is being collected on the government's decision. Narrow toll plazas create long traffic jams. Ditches have been added along the two and a half kilometer road. It takes 15 minutes to reach Kanchan Bridge from Dhaka along the 300 feet road, but it takes at least one and a half hours to move forward after crossing Kanchan Bridge.
Sumon, a cargo truck driver, said it takes 2-3 hours to get out of the toll plaza. Sometimes it takes longer. And because the road is broken, the car moves slowly. There is traffic jam on this road.
Atif, a student of Green University, said, 'We have to sit in traffic for hours due to the toll collection of Kanchan Setu. This is causing great suffering. Despite protesting about the issue, it is not being resolved from any side. We demand immediate stop of toll collection and road reform.
Meanwhile, the Green University authorities have written to the Deputy Commissioner of Narayanganj and the Executive Engineer of Roads and Highways Department demanding immediate road reform and stoppage of 'unwanted' tolls. University Vice-Chancellor Professor Dr. In the letter signed by Mohammad Sharif Uddin, it is said that Green University is conducting educational programs with about 6 thousand students-teachers-officials-employees in Purbachal American City located next to the Asian Highway. There are two major institutes like State University and Salimuddin Chowdhury Degree College nearby. Thousands of vehicles pass through the road every day. But sadly, the highway has become completely impassable in the last few months. The condition is so dire that accidents often occur here. Due to the bad condition of the highway on the one hand and the location of the unwanted toll plaza on the other hand, we have to sit in traffic for one and a half to two hours to cross the two kilometer road from the university to Kanchan Bridge. A huge amount of work hours are wasted every day. In the letter, the vice-chancellor requested to resolve the matter quickly.
In this regard, Shahana Ferdous, Executive Engineer of Roads and Public Ways Department, said, 'The road cannot be widened due to the toll plaza. We are working to resolve the issue. Several meetings and site visits were also conducted. Hopefully, a logical solution will come very soon.'
