Unauthorised parking lots set up occupying roads have mushroomed in the
Sylhet city, aggravating city traffic congestion.
The city dwellers have alleged that more than 50 such parking lots for cars, microbuses, CNG-run auto-rickshaws, rickshaws, battery-run three-wheelers and other vehicles have been set up illegally at across the city, narrowing the roads in the absence of supervision by the authorities concerned.
Illegal parking lots have been set up along the road near Government Alia Madrassah, in front of Nagar Bhaban and Raja GC High School at Bandarbazar, Shaheed Shamsuddin Medical Hospital, civil surgeon office and Bholananda Night School at Chowhatta Point, Court Point, Surma Point, Taltala, Jallarpar, Mirza Jangal, Mirer Maidan, Madhu Shaheed, Sheikhghat, Kazirbazar, Subidbazar, Madina Market, Ambarkhana, Lechubagan, Chowkidekhi, Darshan Deuri, Naiorpul, Dhopadighir Uttarpar, Shipganj, Tilagar, Mendibag, Kadamtali Point, Humayun Rashid Square, Babna Point, Bhartakhola and Chandirpul in the city.
‘Haphazard parking at key points is one of the main reasons behind the persisting traffic congestion in the city that keeps the commuters stranded on the streets for hours,’ Shamim Ahmed, a businessman of the city’s Bandarbazar, alleged.
Drivers of vehicles, including cars, microbuses, auto-rickshaws, battery-run three-wheelers and rickshaws, however, blamed the crisis of authorised parking spaces in the city which forced them to park their respective vehicles along the roads.
‘We cannot park our vehicles free of charge; we have to pay regularly to the stand manager for this,’ said a car driver, Mashuk Miah, who used to park his vehicle in front of the civil surgeon office at Chowhatta.
Chowhatta Microbus Stand Committee president Arun Devnath claimed that they had permission for parking five vehicles along the roadside in front of the civil surgeon office.
Being asked if he had any document for that, he, however, admitted that they have no evidence in support of the claim.
Ambarkhana auto-rickshaw stand manager Suyeb Ahmad said the district auto-rickshaw workers’ union recognises their association, though they had no permission issued by the Sylhet City Corporation.
Being contacted, SCC chief executive engineer Nur Azizur Rahman told New Age that the city corporation authorities, considering the need of the city people during the immediate past army-backed interim government had given a verbal permission for parking the highest five vehicles at a time at several spots, including Court Point and Chowhatta.
‘The vehicle drivers cashing in on the scope have set up parking lots here and there which should be checked immediately,’ he added.
Sylhet Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner (traffic) Aminul Islam told New Age that they already had taken steps to stop unauthorised parking to ease the traffic movement, especially in the city centre.
‘But the initiative is not going on very smoothly because of various constraints,’ the police officer said, stressing concerted efforts by the SCC, SMP and district administration to address the problem.
-With New Age input
