Vehicles remain stranded for ferry disruption
The turbulent Padma continues erosion in Mawa ferry terminal area . Photo: Star
Strong currents in the Padma again yesterday disrupted ferry services on Mawa-Kawrakandi route, causing immense trouble to passengers as around 500 vehicles were stranded on both sides of the river.
Only nine out of 16 ferries operated yesterday, taking much longer time than usual to cross the river. Local administration forced the Kawrakandi-bound goods-laden trucks to remain halted at Chhanbari in Srinagar upazila, about 10 km of Mawa terminal, to give passage to private cars, passenger buses and other vehicles to board the ferries.
Sirajul Haque, manager of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) at Mawa, said ferries could not move at normal speed due to strong currents in the river and strong winds accompanied by rain.
Ferries were taking four to five hours to reach Mawa ghat from Kawrakandi, although it is normally a one and a half hours trip. However, a Mawa-Kawrakandi trip was taking around two and a half hours.
BIWTA deployed a tugboat for towing ferries to negotiate strong currents, Sirajul Haque said.
The Padma was flowing 2cm above the danger mark at Bhagyakul point yesterday, said sources at the Water Development Board.
Trucks get stuck in a long tailback on the road leading to Kawrakandi terminal as Mawa-Kawrakandi route sees disturbance of ferry service due to strong river current. Photo: Star
Erosion by the Padma hit fresh areas on Thursday, snapping direct communication on Mawa-Bhagyakul-Dohar road in Louhajang upazila as the river devoured a 100 feet area of the road at Mawa point.
A two-storey building housing Bangabandhu Smriti Parishad at Mawa collapsed into the river at around 9:00pm on Friday. With this, as many as 7,000 feet area at Mawa had gone into the river in the last few days.
The parking yard of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authorities (BIWTA), river police outpost, met office and other establishments are under erosion threat. People living in the area are trying to shift their belongings to safer areas.
Comments