Mongla, Bagerhat Correspondent
Transports carrying goods more than double of their capacity on Mongla, Bagerhat and Gopalganj highways is causing the roads and bridges in the area to face extreme damage.
In the interest of sustaining the national highways and the bridges built over them, if the carrying of overweight goods is non controlled it would be impossible to transport goods on those roads and bridges in the coming monsoon season.
According to sources, earlier this year, the Roads and Highways Department completed the renovation of several crowded and important roads and highways including Khulna-Bagerhat and Mongla. Of them, work of the highway to Town Nawapara via Bagerhat still going on.
However, on those highways, 22-wheeled trailers or long sells, 10-wheeled and 6-wheeled trucks and other vehicles are now carrying goods and cargoes twice as much as their capacity defying the regulations. Which is completely illegal.
As per the rules, no more than 22 to 25 tons of cement stones and other goods can be transported in a truck or vehicle. But the drivers of the vehicles including trailer truck or long sell drum truck and cover vans are not paying any heed to that rule. That is why the roads, highways and bridges are being damaged severely.
According locals, various vehicles on the highway is currently carrying goods ranging from 40/42 tons to more than 50 tons instead of 22/25 tons. Which caused severe damage to highway bridges and culverts.
Many questions are rising in the conscious community about who is responsible for stopping the plying of overloaded vehicles on the highways?
Locals said the Katakhali bus stand, known as an important bend in the Bagerhat, Khulna, Mongla and Gopalganj highways, was renovated at the end of March this year. But it is now becoming a death trap due to plying of the heavy vehicles.
Experts believe that the intervention of senior govt officials is necessary to take essential steps in this regard.
