Home-goers suffer as trains, buses delay

As yesterday (Thursday) was the last working day for employees and officials of government, semi-government and private offices before Eid-ul-Azha, city dwellers started leaving for their ancestral homes. However, they had a harrowing time while travelling by trains and buses.

Train services from Kamalapur, the largest station in the country, were badly hit yesterday. Trains were delayed by hours, particularly those bound for northern districts. Highway passengers suffered due to delayed buses and massive gridlocks lasting for hours.

Homebound people had to wait for hours at Kamalapur station since the morning due to delay in train services. Rain added to their misery.

A similar situation was noticed on Wednesday. The railway authorities had announced that trains, especially those travelling to the northern region, would be delayed.

More holidaymakers, mostly businessmen and employees of shopping malls and markets, will leave Dhaka by Friday night.

At least five trains didn’t depart on time and got late by hours. Distressed travellers were seen waiting at different stations in the capital city.

Vehicles, carrying mostly home-bound people, were stuck in a five to 10-km tailback on the Dhaka-Tangail highway. Passengers bound for north Bengal suffered immensely on the highway due to a long tailback from Kaliakoir to the Bangabandhu Bridge, with buses moving at a snail’s pace.

Most trains left the station late yesterday. Kamalapur station manager Mohammad Aminul Haq said on the second day of the Eid journey, 55 trains, including three special ones, would leave the station for different destinations.

“We’re doing our best to maintain the schedule. Only those trains that arrived late are departing late. Rest of the trains are running as per  schedule,” he said.

According to the train tracking monitoring system, until 1:45pm, the Chilahati-bound Nilsagar Express was late by three hours and 10 minutes, Rangpur-bound Rangpur Express by three hours and 22 minutes, Panchagarh-bound Ekata Express by two hours and 50 minutes and the Rajshahi-bound Dhumketu Express by two hours and 42 minutes.

The Khulna-bound Sunderban Express was also late by one hour 45 minutes.

Besides, the Rajshahi-bound Silk City Express, which was supposed to leave Dhaka at 2:40pm, and the Chapainawabganj-bound Rajshahi Express are yet to leave Kamalapur station. A total of 55 trains are scheduled to leave Kamalapur Station, including three Eid special trains.

In the meantime, the inter-district bus terminals at Gabtoli, Mahakhali and Syedabad were crowded with people, waiting for hours for their buses to leave. They were seen hanging around for several hours, clueless as to when their buses would arrive and leave for their destinations. The buses were late because of severe traffic gridlocks on the highways.

According to transport operators, buses were being ferried without any hitch across the Padma through Paturia and Mawa terminals so far. Thirteen ferries were carrying vehicles on the Paturia-Daulatdia route.

 

Home-goers suffer as trains, buses delay

As yesterday (Thursday) was the last working day for employees and officials of government, semi-government and private offices before Eid-ul-Azha, city dwellers started leaving for their ancestral homes. However, they had a harrowing time while travelling by trains and buses. Train services from Kamalapur, the largest station in the country, were badly hit yesterday. Trains were delayed by hours, particularly those bound for northern districts. Highway passengers suffered due to delayed buses and massive gridlocks lasting for hours. Homebound people had to wait for hours at Kamalapur station since the morning due to delay in train services. Rain added to their misery. A similar situation was noticed on Wednesday. The railway authorities had announced that trains, especially those travelling to the northern region, would be delayed. More holidaymakers, mostly businessmen and employees of shopping malls and markets, will leave Dhaka by Friday night. At least five trains didnt depart on time and got late by hours. Distressed travellers were seen waiting at different stations in the capital city. Vehicles, carrying mostly home-bound people, were stuck in a five to 10-km tailback on the Dhaka-Tangail highway. Passengers bound for north Bengal suffered immensely on the highway due to a long tailback from Kaliakoir to the Bangabandhu Bridge, with buses moving at a snails pace. Most trains left the station late yesterday. Kamalapur station manager Mohammad Aminul Haq said on the second day of the Eid journey, 55 trains, including three special ones, would leave the station for different destinations. Were doing our best to maintain the schedule. Only those trains that arrived late are departing late. Rest of the trains are running as per schedule, he said. According to the train tracking monitoring system, until 1:45pm, the Chilahati-bound Nilsagar Express was late by three hours and 10 minutes, Rangpur-bound Rangpur Express by three hours and 22 minutes, Panchagarh-bound Ekata Express by two hours and 50 minutes and the Rajshahi-bound Dhumketu Express by two hours and 42 minutes. The Khulna-bound Sunderban Express was also late by one hour 45 minutes. Besides, the Rajshahi-bound Silk City Express, which was supposed to leave Dhaka at 2:40pm, and the Chapainawabganj-bound Rajshahi Express are yet to leave Kamalapur station. A total of 55 trains are scheduled to leave Kamalapur Station, including three Eid special trains. In the meantime, the inter-district bus terminals at Gabtoli, Mahakhali and Syedabad were crowded with people, waiting for hours for their buses to leave. They were seen hanging around for several hours, clueless as to when their buses would arrive and leave for their destinations. The buses were late because of severe traffic gridlocks on the highways. According to transport operators, buses were being ferried without any hitch across the Padma through Paturia and Mawa terminals so far. Thirteen ferries were carrying vehicles on the Paturia-Daulatdia route.