The Vicious Stake There
The endemic linear and congestive ferry ghat dislocations have created underworldish dens of entrenched vested interests hell-bent in keeping things as they are, going by a probing report in a prominent Bangla daily. Even when the fogs are lifting away raising hopes for a purring stimulus to the mobility, those who have developed a stake in the chaos are keeping the wounds to fester like some beggars do.
All of this has come to glaring light as the transport operators, especially the truck drivers, and the BIWTC employees have fallen foul with each other in what appears to be a virulent form of clash of interests. Some time ago the minister concerned in a surprise visit to Aricha caught a truck driver boarding a ferry out of turn red-handed and the ghat employee whom he had bribed to jump the queue was identified on the spot as well. This isolated example got lost into the ether with the minister's departure.
The latest vicious turn to the situation is said to be the handiwork of corrupt officials and employees allegedly enjoying the patronage of a certain political party, according to the transport workers who apparently did not name the party. The higher authorities in BIWTC are either unable to proceed against the recalcitrant employees or are simply unwilling to do this. In the process, the transport deadlock worsens through corruption among people who are on the government pay-roll to ease it.
At the other end, the transport operators and workers have carried out barricades at the ferry ghat, attacks in the booking counter and gheraos also. The hell-fire must be put out.
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