20km tailback on Dhaka-Ctg highway in Cumilla

Commuters have been suffering immensely since this morning (September 28, 2022) due to a 20-km tailback on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway in Gauripur area of Cumilla for repair works on the highway.

There was minor traffic jam on the highway for repair works in front of Daudkandi Upazila Health Complex adjacent to Gauripur Bazar in Cumilla for several days but there has been a severe traffic jam since this morning, our Cumilla correspondent reports quoting highway police and witnesses.

Due to the ongoing repair works, only the Dhaka-bound lane of the highway was kept open for traffic, which led to traffic congestion from Madhaiya area to Daudkandi toll plaza via Gauripur, said highway police.

Hundreds of vehicles, including passenger buses, microbus and ambulances, has been moving slowing.

It was taking two hours to cover a 20km distance, said Cumilla local journalist Mohammad Jabir.

Jahangir Alam, officer-in-charge (OC) of Daudkandi Highway Police, said the highway police is working to ease traffic congestion.

Suniti Chakma, executive engineer of Roads and Highway Department in Cumilla, said the part of the highway has been damaged due to waterlogging as there is no rain water supply system along the highway. There are also rush of vehicles on the highway for homebound people due to the upcoming Durga puja.

"I request people to go to Dhaka using Comilla-Sylhet highway via Brahmanbaria to avoid this traffic jam," he said.

According to police, the traffic movement on the highway started to return to normalcy since this afternoon.