The authorities apprehend that additional traffic jams might occur on the routes to 21 districts including Dhaka during the renovation work of the Buriganga-1 bridge.

More popularly known as Postagola Bridge, the renovation work will start next Thursday (February 22) and will continue till March 8.

Seven concerned departments, including the Traffic Department of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), held a meeting at the DMP headquarters to find out alternatives to avoid severe traffic congestion in those 21 districts during the renovation period.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Additional Commissioner (Traffic) of the DMP headquarters Munibur Rahman, said: "During the renovation work of the bridge, we have held a meeting with all those concerned about which way heavy vehicles will come to Dhaka from outside, possibly which route they may use. A public notice has already been published in this regard. How DMP can work, and how DMP can be supported by other partners was discussed."

The public notice categorized the possible routes into two types: heavy vehicles and light vehicles. Alternative routes have also been discussed.

Munibur Rahman, head of the traffic department of DMP, said that if there is any kind of problem with the routes mentioned in the public notice, the alternative routes have been discussed.

The alternative routes are: 1. Vehicles entering and exiting Dhaka Metropolitan City (DMP) are requested to use Daulatdia, Paturia, Nabinagar, Aminbazar, and Gabtali routes. Passenger buses will stop at Gabtali instead of Syedabad.

2. In other districts of Dhaka division (Dhaka -partial), Manikganj, Gazipur, Narsingdi, Narayanganj, Kishoreganj, Tangail (partial) vehicular traffic has been asked to use Asian Highway via Daulatdia, Paturia, Nabinagar, Baipail, Chandra, Bhogra intersection.

3. Rajshahi, Rangpur Division-bound vehicles are asked to ply using Lalonshah Bridge (Kushtia, Pabna).

4. Mymensingh division and Tangail district (partial) are asked to travel through Lalonshah Bridge (Kushtia, Pabna) and Bangabandhu Bridge.

5. Vehicles in Sylhet division and Brahmanbaria district, Daulatdia, Paturia, Nabinagar, Baipail, Chandra, and Bhogra intersections are said to use the Asian highway.

6. To travel to Chittagong Division, it was asked to travel via Padma Bridge, Srinagar, Munshiganj, Muktarpur Bridge, Third Shitalakshya Bridge, and Madanpur.

 7. People travelling to Chittagong Division were asked to go by Shariatpur and Chandpur Ferry.