The people of Dhaka are having a tough time these days, as traffic snarls have been choking all major roads and thoroughfares since the first day of Ramzan, rendering ineffectual all the measures taken to put the chaotic traffic on track. The capital is experiencing regular traffic snarls before 9.00 am on almost every working day in most parts of the city, causing immense suffering to thousands of commuters. Sometimes it takes about two hours to travel a distance of only eight kilometres during peak traffic hours.
Lack of sufficient road network against a rapidly growing population, new timings for school and government offices during Ramzan, and sudden increase of rush, ahead of Eid, have been blamed for the traffic congestion.
None of the measures taken by Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) and other government agencies worked to streamline the traffic situation in the capital.
Habibur Rahman, deputy commissioner (headquarters) of DMP, told The Independent, “From the beginning of Ramzan, we’ve taken three initiatives to manage the city’s traffic.”
The initiatives are increasing manpower at every traffic point, posting of community police and creating public awareness about traffic rules.
“We also sent a letter on July 24 to the authorities concerned to close the schools and colleges after the 10th day of Ramzan, as, by then, students use their own cars to go to their schools and colleges, adding to the traffic problem,” Rahman said.
“The traffic problem augments, as people from all over the country begin to flock to the city before Eid,” he added.
Mahbubur Rahman, joint commissioner (traffic) of DMP, observed that numerous potholes on the streets contributed to the traffic congestion. He also requested the Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) and the roads and highway department (RHD) to complete the repair works of 10 major city roads to ease the traffic crisis.
According to commuters, huge traffic snarls take place since the early hours of every working day on the main roads, including Mirpur Road, Elephant Road, Panthapath, Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue, Mohakhali Crossing, Maghbazar and Malibagh Crossings, Inner Circular Road, Purana Paltan and the Motijheel areas.
Also, roads adjacent to shopping centres witness a huge rush in the afternoon before iftar. “Traffic tailbacks from Elephant Road through Gulistan has become a regular sight since the early hours of Sunday,” said a commuter.
Sayed Faruk Hossain, deputy director of public relations of Jagannath University, told The Independent that it took him three hours to reach Mohammadpur from Chiitaranjan Avenue by university bus.
“Traffic department’s failure to clear the roads by curbing illegal parking on roadsides is the main reason for the traffic snarls,” said Aminul Islam, a shopper at New Market, referring to the cars parked on both sides of Mirpur Road.
He alleged that the traffic police personnel often allow drivers to park their cars on the roads in exchange for money. Denying the allegation, Ziaul Haque, traffic sergeant of New Market, told The Independent, “We’re trying our best to streamline traffic.” When his attention was drawn to the vehicles parked on the road, he said, “You see, many people do not go by the law.”
When asked about the measures taken to ease traffic during Ramzan, deputy commissioner (media and public relations) of DMP, Masudur Rahman, said, “We’re trying our level best, but traffic congestion in the city is an old problem.”
“A comprehensive and coordinated effort is needed to streamline the city’s traffic system,” he added.
Officials of Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) said that they issue at least 10,000-15,000 registrations every year.
According to BRTA statistics, over 6.43 lakh motorised vehicles, including cars, jeeps, microbuses, taxis, CNG-autorickshaws, buses, minibuses, trucks and human haulers, were registered in Dhaka till 2011. It also shows that more than 2.5 lakh motorcycles, 36,000 trucks and 25,000 human haulers are plying the city roads. There are also more than five lakh illegal rickshaws on the city streets, according to DCC sources.
-With The Independent input
