Mohakhali bus terminal renovation nears completion
City Correspondent
The renovation of Mohakhali bus terminal is almost complete and the new infrastructure with improved facilities for passengers and buses is set to open in the first week of May."The haphazard situation in the terminal will come to an end with these new facilities," said Shahabuddin Ahmed, project director of the renovation work. The project includes renovation of the terminal building, parking spots, paved walkways, toilets, goods loading and unloading places, passenger sheds, taxi stand, ticket counters, mosque and police control room. Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) took the project last year to renovate three inter-district bus terminals in the city at a cost of Tk 44.20 crore. Financed by the World Bank, the project is being implemented by the Roads and Highways Department (RHD) in Mohakhali, Sayedabad and Gabtoli terminals. The terminals will be given to private companies for maintenance after renovation. The renovated Mohakhali terminal was scheduled for opening in December last year but the contractor failed to complete the work. The officials of the constructing agency, Abdul Monem Ltd (Bangladesh)-JPCC (China), a Bangladesh-China joint venture, said they could not complete the work in due time because of not getting land from DCC in time. "We have done the construction work without suspending operations at the terminal. Moreover, we had to stop the work during the heavy rush of two Eids," Abul Kashem, supervisor of the site, said. Passengers who use the terminal are also happy with the facelift but they express doubt whether it will be maintained properly. "Lack of proper maintenance would hamper the project and deprive the passengers of the facilities," said Khaleduzaman Khan, a passenger. Many DCC officials, however, are not happy with the renovation. One of the DCC officials feared proper maintenance would not be possible in the terminal. "The narrow sheds having no boundary walls would not be able to protect the passengers during rainy and hot days," said Nasir Uddin Humayun, assistant director (on duty), Mohakhali terminal. He said there is no space for setting up shops inside the terminal. "Passengers need shops in the terminal. This will create scopes for setting up illegal shops," said Humayun. Dozens of illegal makeshift shops have already started occupying the sheds. The terminal is used by buses to and from Mymensingh, Tangail, Sherpur, Jamalpur, Kishoreganj, Netrokona, Bogra and some other places.
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