Hundreds of vehicles and commuters became stuck for hours in a 25-kilometre long tailback on the Dhaka-Chittagong Highway on Tuesday due to the ongoing repair works on the Langalbandh Bridge in Narayanganj district.
Md Maniruzzaman, officer-in-charge of Narayanganj Highway police said the gridlock stretched from Shanir Akhra to Daudkandi in Comilla.
“The gridlock was caused by heavy pressure of goods-laden vehicles among other vehicles the on Sonargaon-Nabiganj route. We are trying our best to ease the movement of vehicles,” he said.
On Sunday, Roads and Highways Department asked motorists to avoid Langalband Bridge on the highway for three days due to the repair works starting there on Monday.
Light vehicles were asked to use Mograpara-Kaikartek Bridge-Nabiganj-Madanpur route and heavy vehicles to take Kanchpur-Bhulta-Narsingdi-Bhairab Bridge-Sarail-Brahmanbaria-Comilla as alternative routes during the period.
The Langalband Bridge will be fit for the movement of vehicles on Wednesday after 12pm.
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On a spot visit to Shimrail, Signboard, Kanchpur and Madanpur areas of the Dhaka-Chittagong, this correspondent found that transport workers and passengers were not aware of the announcement.
Truck driver Basheed said he did not know about the bridge repair. “I just heard about it from the police. Now I am wondering how to get out of this traffic.”
Meanwhile, many were seen heading home ahead of the Eid holidays in pickup vans and autorickshaws as public transports were still on suspension due to the ongoing lockdown.
Mithu Hawladar with his family were headed to Gomti of Comilla in a pickup van in the morning as no public transports were plying. “I left early in the morning but I’m still stuck at Kanchpur. Heavy traffic on the highway today, I don't know what to do.”
Kanchpur Highway Police Officer in Charge (OC) said. Moniruzzaman said thousands of vehicles were still stuck on the road. Freight transport to Chittagong is being diverted to Brakshanbaria via Narsingdi and vehicles to Dhaka are being diverted to Mograpara in Minarbazar Sonargaon.
He said, "We made public announcements on loudspeakers for the past two days about the renovation work on Langalband bridge but no one paid attention apparently.”