Shimulia terminal, approach road erodes; ferry service disrupted
Ferry services on the Shimulia-Kathalbari route have been disrupted after the terminal and the approach road partially eroded this noon.
"The ferry terminal and also a portion of the approach road has been eroded. We are trying to make an alternative arrangement. But the river is very rough, with severe currents. If we cannot find an alternative, we will request all vessels to take the Paturia-Daulatdia route," said Khaja Mia, chairman of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC).
A huge number of vehicles are already waiting on both ends of the Padma river, he said.
Currently, only five small ferries are operating in this route.
"The ferry service is also taking more time than usual to cross the river. Generally, it takes around two hours to cross the river. But now it takes more than three hours," the chairman said.
An official from the Shimulia Ghat said the ferry terminal is now afloat as the pillars it was tied to were eroded in the Padma.
Besides, the connecting road to the ferry terminal, food store of BIWTC and mosque were also eroded. Around 150 vehicles are waiting for the crossing, he said.
Meanwhile, on the Paturia-Daulatdia ferry route, the approach roads for two pontoons at Daulatdia terminal were submerged under river water, making movement of vehicles at the terminal risky.
Functioning of two of the six pontoons at the terminal are suspended after erosion during last year's monsoon and the authorities could not repair the damage. Of the four operational pontoons, the approach roads of two more -- pontoons number 3 and 6 -- are now under the rising water of the river, reports our Manikganj correspondent quoting locals.
BIWTA has begun laying bags of sand beside the roads to prevent accidents, said Md Shah Alam, deputy assistant engineer of BIWTA (Aricha Zone).
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