Bus stand causes traffic jam, sufferings to commuters
A bus stand, set up illegally allegedly by transport owners and workers beside the busy regional highway in Bhuapur upazila headquarters, has been creating traffic jam and causing immense sufferings of the commuters for over a decade.
Earlier, passenger buses used to ply between Bhuapur Upazila Parishad and Bazar Intersection which created chaos and traffic jam in the busy areas.
Later, during the caretaker government in 2007, authorities concerned set up a bus terminal near Bhuapur Municipality Building beside Bhuapur-Tarakandi road which reduced the traffic jam and other troubles a lot.
Transport owners and workers, however, abandoned that terminal in 2009 and returned to the previous place.
They also allegedly filled up a ditch there and started operating their vehicles in large scale which is continuing till now.
According to Bhuapur Bus Owners Association, at least 30 buses and minibuses out of a total of 50 plies from Bhuapur to Tangail and Dhaka routes daily.
Besides, about 20 to 25 buses and minibuses out of 30 to 35 are being operated from Tarakandi in Jamalpur’s Sarishabari upazila to Dhaka using the same route while a number of vehicles from adjacent Gopalpur upazila also use the regional highway to go to their destinations.
On the other hand, about 300 to 350 CNG-run three-wheelers plies different routes to and from Bhuapur.
All the buses and three-wheelers arrange passengers getting off and into the bus on the busy road, creating huge traffic jam and causing public sufferings as well, said Ovijit Ghosh, a rights activist in Bhuapur.
Local traders and public representatives raised the issue in the monthly upazila development coordination meetings on several occasions and urged the authorities concerned to shift the bus stand from the busy road, but to no avail, Ovijit added.
Despite of having a particular bus terminal, transport owners and workers are not interested using it, Bhuapur Bazar Traders Association President Nuruzzaman Chakdar said.
Bhuapur Bus Owners Association General Secretary Harun-or-Rashid said as passengers are not interested to go to the bus terminal so they are operating the vehicles from the previous location.
Four transport workers always remain active in the bus stand area on behalf of the bus owners and workers association to control the traffic in the area, he added.
Bhuapur Municipality Mayor Masudul Haque said a proposal for setting up a new bus terminal in Shialkhol area under the municipality is waiting for approval of the ministry concerned.
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