Bhanga Interchange (Bengali: ভাঙ্গা ইন্টারচেঞ্জ), also known as Bhanga Roundabout (Bengali: ভাঙ্গা গোলচত্বর), is a major road interchange in Bhanga, Faridpur District, Bangladesh which consists of a cloverleaf interchange.[1] It connects at leats 21 districts of South Bengal in Bangladesh with Dhaka, capital of the country which is a junction of four national highways named Dhaka–Bhanga Expressway, Bhanga–Khulna highway, Dhaka–Faridpur highway and Dhaka–Patuakhali highway.[2]
| Bhanga Interchange | |
|---|---|
| Bhanga Roundabout | |
 | |
| Location | |
| Bhanga, Faridpur District, Bangladesh | |
| Coordinates | 23°23′25″N 89°59′02″E / 23.3901878°N 89.9839308°E |
| Roads at junction | |
| Construction | |
| Type | Cloverleaf interchange |
| Constructed | 2016–2021 |
| Opened | 2021 |
| Maintained by | Road Transport and Highways Division |
Background
editIn 2016,[3] work began on the Dhaka–Bhanga section of the National Highway 8 to transform it into an expressway, which was scheduled to be completed by 2019. As part of the conversion project, plans were made to construct one of the expressway's three road interchanges at Bhanga in Faridpur district.[4] On 12 March, 2020, the expressway, named Dhaka–Bhanga Expressway was inaugurated.[5] Before the construction of the expressway, there was a road junction in Bhanga which became an interchange after the opening in April 2020. After completion of the interchange, it is now a tourist attraction.[6]
Issues
editThe interchange has design flaws. As its embankment is not made of concrete, the interchange has been damaged several times due to rain. Apart from this, waterlogging caused by rain causes difficulty in vehicular movement at the interchange. It is not connected to the two service lanes of the Dhaka–Bhanga Expressway. As a result, vehicles cannot be redirected using the service lanes to other roads using it. The interchange is designed without consideration of freight vehicles, making it risky to enter the interchange using its four loops of 270 degree and confusing for drivers.[7] On 6 June 2023,[8] the West Zone Power Distribution Company disconnected the electricity connection of the interchange due to non-payment of a bill of ৳3.1 million by the Road Transport and Highways Division. The Road Transport and Highways Division claimed that they didn’t have the fund to pay electricity bill. Due to the lack of electricity, the lampposts at the interchange were not illuminated and criminal activities increased[9] and tourists decreased. Electricity connection was restored after 51 days, the day after payment of arrears of ৳2.5 million on 26 July 2023. After that activities of passengers at the interchange became normal.[8]
References
edit- ^ "Cloverleaf interchange, 4-lane highway to boost connectivity, trade in North Bengal". The Business Standard. 3 September 2023. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
- ^ "A new look for Bhanga Gol Chattar". BDNews24.com. 15 October 2021. Archived from the original on 27 November 2022. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
- ^ Malakar, Dipu. "ঢাকা থেকে ভাঙ্গা এক ঘণ্টায়". Prothom Alo (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 10 December 2020. Retrieved 8 February 2021.
- ^ "বদলে যাচ্ছে ঢাকা-মাওয়া-ভাঙ্গা মহাসড়ক". Bangla Tribune (in Bengali). 3 January 2017.
- ^ "দেশের প্রথম এক্সপ্রেসওয়ে উদ্বোধন করলেন প্রধানমন্ত্রী". The Daily Star (in Bengali). 12 March 2020. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
- ^ "দুবাইয়ের চেহারা পেয়েছে ফরিদপুরের ভাঙ্গা!". Kaler Kantho (in Bengali). 11 June 2021. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
- ^ "অব্যাহত ভাঙনের মুখে ভাঙ্গা গোল চত্বরের সড়কবাঁধ". Bonik Barta. 11 October 2022. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 12 September 2024.
- ^ a b "Electricity restored on Bhanga Expressway after 51 days". Dhaka Tribune. 27 July 2023.
- ^ "ভাঙ্গার এক্সপ্রেসওয়ের ইন্টারচেঞ্জে দেড় মাস নেই বিদ্যুৎ". Amader Shomoy (in Bengali). 22 July 2023. Archived from the original on 12 September 2024. Retrieved 8 September 2024.
Further reading
edit- Mayukh, Ali Ahnaf Abid (2023). "Analyzing the traffic efficiency and environmental impact of the cloverleaf interchange at Bhanga, Bangladesh by simulation" (PDF). Journal of Civil Engineering. 51 (2). Dhaka: Institution of Engineers, Bangladesh: 81–86.