Major excavation for power line work paralyses traffic on key Paltan–Ramna stretch

A large stretch of one side of the road has already been dug up to Segunbagicha intersection towards Kakrail

Year-round road excavation across Dhaka’s two city corporations has once again tightened its grip on commuters, this time paralysing movement from Paltan to Ramna Police Station as urgent electrical line relocation work gets under way.

Workers hired by Dhaka Power Distribution Company Limited (DPDC) began digging from Paltan intersection on Apr 13.

By Friday, a significant portion of one side of the road had been excavated up to the Segunbagicha intersection towards Kakrail.

Even under normal conditions, the relatively narrow stretch remains choked with traffic.

With one side now dug up, the road has effectively shrunk further, triggering far more severe congestion.

Paltan-to-Kakrail corridor is one of the capital’s busiest routes.

Excavation along much of the narrow road has reduced a full traffic lane, multiplying gridlock several times over.

Morning peak hours have been particularly chaotic, as the ongoing electrical relocation work severely disrupts vehicle movement.

Residents and rickshaw pullers noted that traffic was relatively lighter on Friday due to the weekend closure of offices.

However, the situation on Wednesday and Thursday saw all-day gridlock.

On the ground, excavation was seen starting just ahead of Paltan intersection, with workers confirming that the digging will continue up to Ramna Police Station.

Simultaneously, another trench is being dug from Kakrail intersection into Segunbagicha.

Workers said the digging is aimed at relocating high-voltage underground power lines.

The contract for the project has been awarded by DPDC to Munshi Enterprise.

Site engineer Md Kader said, “We are working with proper permission, following city corporation regulations. Work is ongoing in two shifts.

“Urgent electrical line relocation began on Apr 13 and will continue until May 3.”

Labourer Moidul Bepari added that work runs from 8am to evening, followed by a night shift, but progress is slow due to multiple underground cables.

Segunbagicha resident Azizul Haque said such work should be confined to night hours, warning that daytime excavation only deepens Dhaka’s chronic congestion.

Responding to concerns, Kader said: “The work is being done out of necessity. We always have a person on site to help manage traffic flow.”