AN ALTERNATIVE PROPOSAL FOR JETTY AND PONTOON DESIGN IN PATURIA FERRY GHAT

Abstract

The Paturia ferry terminal in Manikganj is the most important for road connectivity with the entire country. The ferry ghats of Patria and Daulatdia are located on the Padma River's left and right banks, respectively. Both ghats connect the districts of Manikganj and Rajbari to the continuation of road transport. Paturia ferry terminal is one of the major ferry routes connecting southern Bangladesh to the rest of the country. It also connects neighboring India by transporting passenger buses and freight trucks from one river bank to another. The ghats of the Daulatdia and Paturia ferries have been threatened by a recent significant erosion of the Padma River's banks. Since 2015, the disintegration has been ongoing. Flash floods, turbulence, and strong currents in the Padma River eroded a large area, including the ferry wharf and river banks, and the river vanished. During the rainy season, the water level has become elevated because the ghat is flooded and needs to move to continue the operation. The present traffic system cannot cope with an enormous load of vehicles. The primary goal of this research was to develop a long-term solution that could withstand seasonal water level change. In the proposed plan, it is included five terminals, three terminals for utility ferry service, one for passenger vessels and the remaining one for speedboat mooring terminal. It is also generated pontoon design for its adjacent ghats, which was evaluated from an existing Sadarghat terminal and collected from BIWTA. This design includes 2D and 3D views animated using AutoCAD and SolidWorks.

Keywords: Ferry terminal, water level, bank erosion, jetty and pontoon.