Eid journey: More vehicles on highways than usual but no traffic snarls
Seven toll booths are operational at the Munshiganj end of the Padma Bridge to facilitate smooth travel, allowing quick passage for commuters heading to the 24 southern districts
Holidaymakers travelling from Dhaka to the northern and southern districts for Eid have been experiencing uninterrupted journeys today (7 April).
Authorities have reported increased vehicular movement but no congestion on the highways.
Seven toll booths are operational at the Mawa end of the Padma Bridge to facilitate smooth travel, allowing quick passage for commuters heading to the 24 southern districts.
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Additionally, designated lanes are allocated for motorcycles crossing the bridge.
"The volume of vehicles has slightly risen in anticipation of the Eid holiday, but no issues have been reported so far," said Mohammad Amirul Haider Chowdhury, the deputy director of the Padma Bridge site office.
Personal vehicles have outnumbered long-distance public transportation on the Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga Expressway.
The situation is similar on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Munshiganj.
"There hasn't been any additional vehicular pressure observed at the Gazaria end of the Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Munshiganj since morning," said Humayun Kabir, in charge of the Gazaria Highway Police outpost.
Similarly, there was no traffic congestion reported on the Tangail side of the Bangabandhu Bridge (Jamuna Multi-purpose Bridge).
Mohammad Sharifuddin, the additional superintendent of Tangail police, said the highway leading to the bridge has more traffic than usual, but the journey home has been smooth this year.
Highway police, drivers, and passengers believe the coordinated efforts of the district administration, police, roads and highway division, and bridges authority are the key reasons behind the smooth journey ahead of this Eid.
There are four lanes from Gazipur's Bhogra to Tangail's Elenga, which benefits northbound vehicles.
Besides, this Eid has more holidays, which helps avoid congestion. At night, the connecting road on the east end of the Bangabandhu Bridge is made one-way to allow vehicles from Dhaka to reach Elenga in Tangail's Kalihati upazila quickly through the four-lane road.
Meanwhile, vehicles coming from the north can travel via Bhuapur on alternative routes to Elenga after crossing the bridge.
"From Friday midnight to Saturday midnight, 25,084 vehicles crossed the bridge, including 6,067 buses, 8,581 trucks, 8,422 small and large vehicles, and 2,014 motorcycles. The toll collected on the bridge during this period amounted to Tk2.17 crore," said Ahsanul Kabir Pavel, the executive engineer of the Bangabandhu Bridge.
Officer-in-Charge (OC) Alamgir Ashraf of Bangabandhu Bridge East Police Station said vehicle movement is normal on the highway since the morning.
"However, vehicle pressure may increase on the highway after evening," he added.
Tangail Deputy Commissioner Md Kaysarul Islam said the government has taken integrated steps to ensure a smooth Eid journey.
"Following this, executive magistrates have been deployed at critical points from Mirzapur to the east side of the Bangabandhu Bridge. Trucks and three-wheelers are not allowed on the highway for three days before and after Eid," he added.
Kaysarul said wreckers are on standby to remove any vehicles involved in accidents, and all arrangements, including manpower, have been made to keep the toll plaza operational uninterrupted.
"Immediate measures will be taken for any unexpected incidents on the bridge. Overall, this year's Eid journey will be smooth, and people will be able to return home in comfort," he added.
