Fear of fatal accidents looms
around the Eid holidays

Special Correspondent:

Sluggish pace of construction work for 190 kilometers Elenga-Rangpur four lanes and Hatikumrul Interchange has now caused of massive concern to the commuters as they fear to face immense sufferings and fatal accidents ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, also the second largest festival of the Muslims.

Commuters especially who are eager to celebrate Eid festival along with their near and dear ones hesitate over safe journey as the sluggish pace of Elenga-Rangpur highway and Hatikumrul Interchange’s construction work makes several points of the highway risky for vehicular movements.

The Elenga-Rangpur four-lane highway and Hatikumrul interchange construction project is facing uncertainty over completion of implementation in scheduled time due to snail’s pace of construction works even after two times expansion of funds and completion deadlines.

Various administrative and technical complications including lack of coordination between the service providing organizations, apathy of the construction firms and negligence in monitoring by the authorities concerned are the main reasons behind the delay of works.

Relevant sources said, though both the project period and allocation have been extended twice, the desired progress has not yet been made due to lack of goodwill by the involved officials.

The construction of the 190-kilometer-long Elenga-Rangpur four-lane highway, which began in September 2016, is going on at a snail’s pace. The scheduled deadline was extended from August 2021 to December 2024 in the first phase and then to December 2026 in the second phase. The project budget has also almost doubled to Tk 18,679 crore.

The same condition prevails over the Hatikumrul Interchange project. Although, the deadline of the project, which started in 2022, was initially scheduled to be completed by 2024, has been extended till March 2026 due to various reasons including land acquisition complication. It has also increased cost of the project.

The project authorities claimed that, the work on the interchange has progressed by 52 percent and the four-lane road project by 82 percent. However, in reality, construction works are still incomplete at various places like Bhuiyangati, Chhonka, Gabindaganj and Palashbari. In many places, vehicles have to ply on alternate lanes instead of the main lanes, resulting in increasing traffic congestion and accidents. This is increasing frustration and suffering among passengers. The suffering may increase several times during the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha for high pressure of transports. The number of transports will also be doubled or three times high due to homebound passengers as well as cattle laden trucks.

Drivers of several transports including buses, trucks and cars said that, the construction of side lanes has remained incomplete at different places like Chandaikona to Hatikumrul via Bhuiyangati, both sides of Chhonka, Gabindaganj and Palashbari causing disturbance in smooth driving. Due to lack of side-lanes, all kinds of vehicles including three wheelers like CNG and battery run auto-rickshaws and even Nasimon-Karimon ply through the main lanes despite huge risk of accidents. Those banned and unauthorized vehicles also engage in racing with the long distance vehicles with their highest speeds. As a result, most of those uncontrolled vehicles meet in tragic accidents claiming several lives.

Though, Mahbubur Rahman Russel, Project Manager of Hatikumrul Interchange of the SASEC-II made a commitment to open two side lanes of Pabna and Bogura route from Hatikumrul before Eid-ul-Fitr with the aim to make the home goers’ trips safe, comfortable and free from hassle, it basically was limited in just assurance. In fact, one-fourth percent of the two side lanes’ works have not yet been completed even somewhere it has not yet been started. This is why, relevant people are in fear over their journey during the upcoming Eid-ul-Azha.

At Bhuiyangati, a flyover has been opened few days ago for vehicle movements. But, there is no side lane at one side of the flyover that hampers movements of local and inter-district transports. CNG-driven auto-rickshaws, battery run rickshaws and bikers are being forced to cross the portion taking life risk. Thus, the several parts of the incomplete four-lane have turned into death trap for commuters.

Vehicle owners and drivers sources claimed that, Hatikumrul intersection, which is about 22 km away from Jamuna Bridge, has become highly dangerous for vehicular movements as the place is considered as approaching point for different routes of the northern region.  Due to under construction works of Hatikumrul Interchange; drivers are compelled to cross the intersection within a limited speed that takes additional time to end their trips. Besides, random parking of CNG driven auto-rickshaws on roadsides, stoppage of buses and other vehicles at the intersection and plying of three wheelers are leading frequent accidents in the area almost everyday. At least 20 people have been killed in over 15 road accidents on the highway under jurisdiction of Hatikumrul Highway police station since the last Eid, police said.

While contacted, Mahbubur Rahman Russel, Project Manager of Hatikumrul Interchange and the four lanes said, “I am not traffic police that I shall perform duty on highway during the Eid holidays to prevent accidents. We are carrying our works as per our rules.”

Abdur Rouf, Officer in Charge of Hatikumrul Highway thana said, “There was no severe traffic congestion during the holidays of last Eid-ul-Fitr. We expect, this time travelers will experience a hassle-free Eid journey during the Eid-ul-Azha.”