Work on to reduce risk of accident at 19 black spots

A project of the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges to check accidents at 19 'black spots' in 140-kilometre segment of Dhaka-Panchagarh highway from Rangpur district to Panchgarh via Nilphamari and Thakurgaon is going on in full swing, much to the happiness of passengers and drivers.

In last one-year, over 100 people died in fatal accidents in those black spots, locals and police sources said.

Following inauguration of the 'black spot improvement project' by Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader at Rangpur Medical College intersection on May 5, Roads and Highways Department (RHD) is conducting the work in the districts concerned.

Work under the Tk 25 crore project include widening of roads, making new jersey barriers (special dividers) and dense bituminous surfacing at widened parts in the 19 black spots -- 11 in Rangpur district, five in Thakurgaon, two in Nilphamari, and one in Panchagarh, RHD sources said.

The most dangerous black spots are dry fish market turning point and Kamarpukur market point in Nilphamari district.

Other highly risky black spots include Rangpur Medical College intersection, Modern turning, Domdoma, Gorer Math, Shothibari, Borodarga, Laldighi, Pirganj market, Ikorchali market, Taraganj market and Chikli market.

Earlier a high-powered team of RHD visited accident prone points of the 140-kilometre portion of the highway to collect data about accidents and number of deaths.

"Construction of most of the new jersey barriers is complete. Expansion of the highway on both sides at the black spots is going on and work of dense bituminous surfacing on expanded part will be done at the final stage," said Tanvir Siddiquee, executive engineer of RHD in Nilphamari.

Mojnu Mia, driver of a passenger bus of Nabil Paribahan group plying Dhaka-Rangpur-Nilphamari route, said, "Driving large passenger buses through the accident prone black spots seemed a risky job but now we are happy as the government is conducting an improvement project."

Dr Abdullah Al Mamun, executive engineer of RHD in Rangpur, said the project work is progressing well.

The project will hopefully be completed within the scheduled time (June next year), and it will help check accidents on the busy highway, he said.