A truck terminal was
constructed along the Gollamari-Sonadanga road in Khulna city for BDT 50
million. An additional BDT 10 million was spent to complete the administrative
building 2003. However, after 22 years, the building, designed for workers'
rest, has yet to be operational. As a result, most drivers are not bringing
trucks to the terminal and are parking on the road instead, leading to traffic
congestion, according to residents.
Officials say the
building has not been operational due to the disinterest of owners and
workers, as well as the negligence of the city corporation. After being unused for so long, it has become unfit
for use. Since its construction, the building has remained locked. The lack of
use has deteriorated; the entrance gate is padlocked, plaster is falling off,
and doors and windows are decaying. Dust has accumulated on the furniture
stored on the first, second, and third floors. Despite the building being
non-operational, a large portion of the terminal has been occupied by the
Sonadanga vegetable market.
Truck drivers Anwar
Sheikh, Selim Sardar, and Jamal Hossain, who bring vegetables to the market,
report that the truck terminal building in the vegetable market area is
abandoned. Large potholes have formed in the truck parking area, and rainwater
has collected in these holes. There are no facilities for drivers and helpers
to rest here, so they do not want to come to the terminal. Instead, they park
trucks on various roads. Transport or truck owners are also unwilling to pay
fees to park their vehicles in the terminal.
According to sources
from the Khulna City Corporation, a project to construct a truck terminal was
initiated in 1998 on six acres of land along the Gollamari-Sonadanga road.
After receiving approval from the ministry, the project was implemented in 2002
for BDT 50 million. The project included land acquisition, boundary walls,
loading and unloading facilities, ticket counters, drainage, public toilets, and
49 shop units. In the following year, 2003, an additional BDT 10 million was
spent to construct a three-story administrative building to complete the
terminal.
Regarding this, Khulna
City Corporation's Estate Officer, Md. Nuruzzaman Talukdar said, "The
truck terminal is a bit far from the commercial area, which is why drivers are
not coming to save on fuel. Most drivers unload their goods and park their
vehicles on the road. Mobile courts are conducted to prevent parking on the
road, and the offending truck drivers are fined. However, these measures have
not been effective."
He said that the
negligence of transport, truck owners, and labor organization leaders is also a
significant reason for the terminal's inability to operate, adding, "Due
to the prolonged period of inactivity, the building has become unusable."
However, the divisional
truck labor union authorities say that most truck owners do not want
to pay
fees to park their vehicles in the terminal.
Therefore, they keep their trucks on the road or in garages, which is a matter
for the owners.