Shimulia Ghat: Ferry service disrupted as erosion hits terminal
Another approach road to a ferry pontoon at Shimulia terminal in Munshiganj went into the Padma yesterday morning, severely disrupting ferry services on the Shimulia-Kathalbari route.
The erosion began at 3:00am and continued till 9:00am at the pontoon-4, also known as VIP Ferry Ghat. Shops near the pontoon were shifted elsewhere, said a BIWTA official.
This is the second ferry pontoon put out of service by the Padma within nine days at Shimulia.
The BIWTA authorities also suspended operations of ferry pontoon-2 as it became risky due to erosion.
Currently, only one ferry pontoon is under operation, and the resultant long queue of vehicles is causing sufferings to people returning to the capital from different southern districts after celebrating Eid-ul-Azha in their village homes.
Geo-bags were dumped when the effects of erosion began to reduce, said Harif Ahmed, BIWTA assistant engineer at Shimulia.
Its Chairman Commodore Golam Sadeq visited the spot.
"This is a natural disaster and two other ferry terminals are also under threat. We are dumping geo-bags to prevent the erosion," he told journalists.
"We are planning to build a new ferry terminal," he said.
Harif said around seven acres of land of the two ferry pontoons went under water.
He could not say when the operations of the pontoons would resume.
Sirajul Kabir, in-charge of naval police at Shimulia, said ferry services were disrupted due to strong currents in the river. The remaining two in service ferry pontoons were also at risk.
Five small ferries were operating on the route till yesterday evening, he added.
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