Photo: Messenger
The impending Eid-Ul-Fitr celebration has instilled fear among passengers traveling to the southern-western region due to delays in repairing the road in the Beutha area of Manikganj.
This critical route plays a pivotal role during the festive season, accommodating hundreds of thousands of vehicles ranging from small cars to motorcycles moving towards Paturia Ghat through the Hemayetpur-Singair-Manikganj regional road. The diversion of traffic to this route has significantly alleviated the congestion typically witnessed on the Dhaka-Aricha highway in recent years.
Nevertheless, concerns have surfaced this year as repair work on the one-and-a-half-kilometer stretch in Beutha remains incomplete, raising doubts among passengers and drivers regarding the road's readiness for immediate use.
The looming uncertainty over the road's completion before Eid has sparked apprehension about the plight of passengers hailing from 17 districts bound for the southern region.
The delay in road repairs not only threatens to intensify the suffering of travelers but also poses a risk of amplifying the burden on the Dhaka-Aricha highway and Paturia Ghat.
Despite the challenging circumstances, the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) assures swift efforts to render the road passable, particularly for smaller vehicles, ahead of the festive period.
Presently, the Beutha area stands shuttered as repair activities encroach upon its vicinity, compelling common passengers, including school students, to navigate this section on foot. The absence of vehicular passage through this critical juncture has inconvenienced residents and commuters alike, prompting concerns about the impending travel challenges during Eid.
Abdul Matin, a motorcyclist, underscores the pivotal role the route plays in diverting traffic away from Manikganj bus stand area, subsequently easing congestion along the Dhaka-Aricha highway. The closure of this vital road segment not only disrupts the daily commutes of locals but also threatens to compound traffic woes during the festive rush.
Local residents, such as Md. Mintu Mia, express frustration over the prolonged road closure, highlighting the arduous detours individuals must undertake to circumvent the repair site. The lingering delays in completing the roadworks have inflicted hardships on commuters, significantly elongating travel times and escalating transportation costs.
As efforts intensify to expedite the road repairs, the urgency to alleviate the mounting challenges faced by students, passengers, and the wider community persists. Municipal Councilor Abu Md. Nahid emphasizes the road's critical role in facilitating inter-district travel, underscoring ongoing endeavors to restore its usability before the onset of Eid.
Executive Engineer ABM Khorshed Alam of Manikganj LGED reaffirms the commitment to hasten repair activities, particularly focusing on ensuring the accessibility of the road for smaller vehicles ahead of Eid, thereby mitigating the potential disruptions and hardships faced by travelers during this festive period.
