Traveling does not always mean getting lost in the mountains, sea or deep forests. Sometimes, seeing a huge modern architecture made by man or the construction work of an ongoing mega project with your own eyes can be a different and exciting experience. For several days, the routine of life was getting boring, so I wanted to visit a different environment from somewhere nearby. Out of the strong desire to see something new outside of nature or the familiar tourist spots, the thought of Hatikumrul Interchange in Sirajganj suddenly came to mind. I had been hearing a lot of discussions about this place, which is known as the gateway to North Bengal, for quite some time now. Starting from newspapers to social media, this mega project was being celebrated everywhere. So without any further delay, I suddenly set out one afternoon to see this huge project with my own eyes. I still did not realize that this hasty decision, taken without any prior planning, would be a great travel memory for me.
While starting the journey, a strange excitement was working in my mind. Hatikumrul intersection once meant long traffic jams, people's cries and the extreme annoyance of waiting, especially during Eid, the endless suffering that people faced here. But those dark days may soon be over forever. Upon reaching there, I was literally stunned with amazement at the first sight. It was like another world, a reflection of a new Bangladesh! As far as the eye could see, only the hustle and bustle of construction work and huge concrete structures. A vast desert of sand and land development work were going on in the vast area around, which looked like the foundation of a completely new modern city was being built from scratch.
As soon as I stepped into the construction site, I saw a huge assembly of heavy machinery. Large yellow payloaders and heavy orange road rollers were busy leveling the soil and sand, making loud noises. Next to it, a large red billboard or something resembling a temporary structure caught my eye, which was striking even from a distance amidst the dusty construction environment. The mechanical noise around, the dust floating in the air, and the constant busyness of hundreds of workers proved how fast the work of this dream interchange was progressing day and night.
The enormity of the entire structure could not be properly appreciated from below, so I slowly climbed to the top of this flyover under construction. As I climbed to the top, a new horizon opened up before me. The roof or deck of the flyover is unimaginably wide, on which several lanes of cars can easily pass side by side. The entire roof has been cast with extremely strong concrete, but since it is an ongoing process, there is still a lot of work to be done. Rows of thick iron rods protrude from both sides of the road and at the junctions, which are proudly ready to be poured for the next section of concrete. The construction of the directional divider along the middle of the flyover is also going on quite vigorously, there too I saw rows of iron rods rising above the concrete structure. These exposed rods seemed to indicate the inner strength of the skeleton of this huge bridge.
The most surprising thing is that I thought that I would only see workers and engineers at such a construction site. But to my surprise, I saw that countless other people like me had gathered there to watch this huge activity. Many were walking in groups on the vast concrete of this flyover under construction, some were walking around with umbrellas on their heads to avoid the scorching sun and watching this historic construction work. People of all ages, from children to the elderly, seemed to have rushed there to witness this unprecedented development in their area. The view from above was also extraordinary. The carpet of green grass below, small water bodies and the quiet atmosphere of the village in the distance created a strange yet beautiful contrast between this modern gray concrete structure.
As I walked over the flyover, I was struck by its true aesthetic beauty as I looked at the long curves around it. This huge flyover seemed to stretch out into the distance, stretching out into the distance, as if it were stretched out over nothing. In the distance, I saw large cranes standing near the horizon, used to lift heavy loads and girders. When I looked down to see how such a tall and massive structure could stand so still in the void, I saw another wonder. In addition to the main concrete pillars, a huge and extremely complex scaffolding network of iron pipes has been used to temporarily hold up the lower part of the flyover's roof. The forest of these reddish iron pipes is so dense and vast that it makes me bow my head in respect for the sharp talent of the engineers and the bone-crushing hard work of the workers. Many visitors and locals were taking a break from the scorching sun, sitting under the huge shade of the flyover, right next to the scaffolding, which created a wonderful rural atmosphere.
There were several things I really liked about this entire trip, which turned this impromptu trip into an absolutely perfect travel story. First, the soft blue sky of autumn. The view of this huge concrete flyover in gray color against the background of a cloudless dark blue sky was, in a word, extraordinary and very picturesque. Second, the modern and eye-catching design of the interchange. The smooth curves of the flyover that gradually blend into the distant horizon were so wonderful to see that it was hard to blink. And what I liked most was the spontaneous and joyful participation of the common people. So many people came to watch this construction work with interest, ignoring the scorching sun, which proves how much hope and enthusiasm is working in the minds of people about this mega project. Besides, the feeling of standing in the open air above and enjoying the view that stretches for miles around was also very soothing. Looking at the rows of cars, microbuses and vans parked below, it is easy to guess how large the project is and how extensive its construction is.
However, after walking around this entire vast area for hours, I have come to a great realization. The magnitude of it, as I felt while walking, is probably impossible to fully express in words or with the lens of the camera in my hand. This Hatikumrul Interchange is a very complex, multifaceted and modern traffic management system, where multiple highways from different districts of North Bengal come and merge with each other at different levels and loops. It is absolutely impossible for the ordinary human eye to see its entire structure, all the bends, loops and directions at once, whether standing on the ground below or standing on any one end of the flyover. To understand how skillfully its design has been spread like a net all around, there is no real alternative but to see it from a bird's eye view or from the sky. In short, without a powerful drone, it is impossible to capture its full view or complete image from above or enjoy its true beauty without a camera frame. To understand the true geometric form of this modern man-made architecture, you have to look at it from the sky.
Therefore, the small fraction that I have been able to highlight in this travelogue or in the simple pictures I have taken, you may not be able to fully understand or imagine its entire vastness. To give you a very clear idea of the design and expansion of this dream mega project and to fill the lack of drone view to some extent, I have added a screenshot of Google Maps at the end of this article. If you look at the top view or satellite image of this map, you will easily understand why this interchange is so important, how complex its design is, and how it is going to bring a groundbreaking and unimaginable change in the transportation system of millions of people in North Bengal.
(Google Map screenshot)
(All posts are written in Bengali and translated into English using Google Translate.)
| Camera Used | Samsung SM-G973F |
|---|---|
| F-Stop | F2.4 |
| ISO speed | ISO |
| Focal length | 26mm |
| Flash | No |
| Editing app | Lightroom |
| Photography | (Hatikumrul Mega Project) |
| Photographer |  @mshbd |
| Location | Natore, Bangladesh |
| Latitude | Longitude | Map Link |
|---|---|---|
| 24.41909 | 89.55178 | [//]:# (!worldmappin 24.41909 lat 89.55178 long d3scr) |