Postogola Bridge closure sparks traffic chaos again

Ziaul Huq had embarked on his journey from Barishal to Dhaka on Monday (4 March), expecting a routine commute. However, his travel plans were disrupted by unexpected traffic snarls caused by the closure of the Postogola Bridge for repair works.

Departing from Barishal at 10am, Ziaul encountered delays upon reaching Keraniganj at around 1pm. With the Postogola Bridge closed, his bus was compelled to take a detour to Babubazar Bridge. However, the journey hit a major snag near Kadamtali, where a substantial tailback halted the vehicles' progress.

Faced with hours of waiting in gridlock, Ziaul Huq decided to take matters into his own hands. Disembarking from the bus, he undertook a walk and then took an alternative mode of transport, rickshaw, to reach Kaliganj Kheyaghat. Then he navigated the river by boat and reached Sagar Ghat. Again he had to undertake a brief walk to take another transport to reach his destination.

"What is typically a 3.5-hour journey from Barishal to Gulistan stretched to 6 hours due to the unexpected traffic congestion near Babubazar Bridge," Ziaul Huq lamented while talking to The Business Standard.

The closure of the Postogola Bridge since February 24 has redirected traffic to the Babubazar Bridge, intensifying congestion in the area. The additional strain on the Buriganga 2nd Bridge has led to severe traffic jams extending from the southern end of the bridge to the Nazirer Bagh area.

Apart from yesterday, Postogola Bridge was completely closed on 24 and 26 February as well as March 1 for renovations, redirecting vehicles through Babubazar Bridge and causing delays of 2 to 3 hours for most commuters. The bridge will also be closed on 8 March.

Roads and Highway Division (RHD) Additional Chief Engineer Md Sobuj Uddin Khan acknowledged the inconvenience caused by the bridge closure and assured that renovation works were being carried out in intervals to minimize people's sufferings. 

Despite efforts to suggest alternative routes, such as the Dhaka-Aricha route for long haul buses, many vehicles persist in choosing the Babubazar Bridge route, contributing to the ongoing traffic congestion, he added.

He further said, "We will complete 80% of the work by today (yesterday) and the rest of the work will be done by 8 March. No more time will be needed."

Meanwhile, drivers of Barishal-bound buses prefer the expressway route for its shorter distance and faster service. 

Ashraful Alam, driver of Barishal-bound Palki Paribahan, explained the transport company's preference, stating that the expressway offers a direct and faster route compared to the longer and more time-consuming Aricha-Dhaka route. He also highlighted the challenges faced by buses bound for Gulistan and Sayedabad, navigating through the hectic city traffic.