Mawa ferry service to resume by night: minister

Ferry operation on Mawa-Kewrakandi route will resume fully from Saturday night after a week-long halt due to erosion in the river Padma, Shipping Minister Shahjahan Khan said. The Minister was speaking with reporters while inspecting the work to fill up Madaripur United Islamia Government High School ground in the morning.

The No. 2 pier at Mawa went out of operation on Oct 9 due to the river erosion.

Since Sunday, a limited number of vehicles have been crossing the river using the pier No. 3, leading to a severe gridlock.

Shahjahan on Saturday said that he had ordered on Monday to build three new piers and link roads towards Wrishibari, Mawa intersection and Kabutarkhola within a week.

“We’ve repaired two piers within four days. The ferry operation will resume at full pace within the evening or tonight,” he said.

Meanwhile, Munshiganj Roads and Highways Department Acting Engineer Mohammad Ataur Rahman said the work to build a pier at Kandipara, which is linked to Kabutarkhola channel, was yet to start.

The delay was due to some issues between the department and the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA).

BIWATA Executive Engineers Sajedur Rahman said the pier linked to the Mawa intersection would become operational on Saturday evening or Sunday and that the work to build the Wrishibari pier was 90 percent complete.

bdnews24.com

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