Six bridges inaugurated on Dhaka-Aricha highway

The government has taken a decision to evict all illegal structures and makeshift hats and bazars on both sides of the highways, said Communications Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday.
Punitive action would also be taken against unauthorised vehicles to maximum safety on roads, he said.
To implement the move, the government has already formed a ten-member committee comprising ministers and cabinet secretaries. A ministerial meeting will be held in this regard today.
The minister was inaugurating six bridges on Golora-Saturia road and footpath work of Jagir Bridge on Dhaka-Aricha highway in the district yesterday.
Among others, local lawmaker Zahid Maleque Swapan, Deputy Commissioner Md Masood Karim, chairman Abdul Mazid of Saturia upazila parishad and Manikganj Zila Parishad administrator Golam Mohiuddin, were present at the function.
The district Roads and Highway Department built the bridges at Kamta, Janna, Fukurhati, Kandapara, Purba Hushtia and Uttar Kaunnara in Saturia upazila at a cost of Tk 21 crore.
Meanwhile, introduction of 40 double-decker buses on the Dhaka-Aricha highway remained uncertain.
The buses of Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) were scheduled to shuttle the busy roads in Shivalaya upazila from May 4 this year.
Utholy Bus Depot in the upazila controls Dhaka-Aricha and Dhaka-Paturia BRTC services, said Abdur Rahim, deputy manager (operation) of the depot.
The authorities had sanctioned 73-seated 40 double-decker buses on the two routes and decided to run them on roads linking Paturia, Aricha and Gazipur and Motijheel in Dhaka, he said.
The buses were run on trial on the routes, he said, adding that if operated, it would ease the communication of more than 5000 regular passengers.
Sources in the BRTC said that the decision was shelved as some local transport leaders and workers opposed the new service on the routes.
A few BRTC buses are plying Dhaka-Aricha and Dhaka-Paturia routes. Some influential leaseholders run the buses although they have become too old and unusable due to lack of maintenances, said the sources.
Replying to a query, the minister said the 40 double-decker BRTC buses could not hit Dhaka-Aricha and Dhaka-Paturia highways due to the internal feud of local transport owners and workers' union leaders.