Staff Reporter :
Commuters were stuck in gridlock for several hours as traffic in the city’s different parts, especially in shopping mall areas, virtually came to a standstill on Tuesday.
As the number of shoppers and vehicles significantly increased ahead of Eid-ul-Azha and the city roads being locked after rainfall, the people are witnessing virtually chaos on roads, according to the Traffic Department of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
Besides, the officials at the Traffic Department blamed the unfit vehicles operators on city roads as well as the commuters for the tailback as they neither listen to the traffic police nor obey the traffic rules.
Those who had left office at 4:00pm in the hope of reaching home early were stuck at one junction or the other unable to inch their way forward for hours yesterday.
All the arrangements made by the Traffic
Department to handle traffic turned futile as the city roads were overcrowded with vehicles, commuters and Eid shoppers. Traffic congestions were mostly seen in front of posh shopping malls where shoppers rushed in private cars slowing down the movement of public transports.
Traffic movement from city’s Abdullhapur in Uttara to Gulisthan virtually comes to a halt at different strategic points for hours making public life a nightmare everyday.
With a huge number of all types of vehicles traffic movement comes to a standstill on around 30 kilometre long north-south corridor namely Gazipur-Mohakhali where buses of 60 routes run from Tongi, Abdullahpur, Uttara, Kuril and Khilkhet direction at a time.
One of the worst traffic congestion is experienced from around 9:00am to midnight on the Abdullahpur, House Building, Azampur, Rajlaxmi, Jashimuddin and Airport roads as Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Airport Railway Station and Headquarters of Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh, Armed Police Battalion and elite fore Rapid Action Battalion are situated on the both sides of the road.
This gridlock impact also spills over the entire city thoroughfares, including Banani, Mohakhali, Mohakhali Flyover, Prime Minister’s Office, Bijoy Saroni, Farmgate, Karwan Bazar, Bangla Motor, Shahbagh Intersection, Motshyo Bhaban and National Press Club. Since most city footpaths have been occupied by makeshift shops, the pedestrians and shoppers now have to walk on the main roads, contributing to the traffic jam.
Besides, New Market, Panthapath, Mouchak, Malibagh, Kakrail and Dhanmondi areas also experience severe traffic congestions, as popular shopping malls are located in these areas. When contacted, Probir Kumar Roy, Deputy Commissioner (Traffic North) of DMP claimed that the traffic situation has improved in recent days.
He said traffic police do not tolerate illegal parking on roads and walkways. “We do not allow it under any circumstances… We have been enforcing laws against illegal parking on the footpath strictly,” Roy further claimed.
He said though the DNCC with the help of law enforcers conduct mobile courts to free the roads and footpaths to facilitate smooth movement of pedestrians, hawkers and illegal occupants reoccupy those after their eviction.
“Besides, the roadside filing stations always deteriorate the traffic system. The long queues of vehicles at the filing station also caused traffic jams on the roads,” he said.
However, some high officials of the DMP’s traffic wing said there are several reasons behind usual gridlock for hours. They said the city dwellers might not have an immediate respite from such a situation as the pressure of vehicles continues.
Many of the commuters said inadequate number of traffic personnel deployed at intersections to enforce traffic rule causes gridlock instead of easing it.
Drivers of different modes of transport said since the traffic rule is enforced only at the intersections and not all along the roads, it results in unusual traffic congestion.
Some people, however, blamed bad traffic management for the situation, saying the increased volume of private cars is not alone responsible for the congestion.
Commuters were stuck in gridlock for several hours as traffic in the city’s different parts, especially in shopping mall areas, virtually came to a standstill on Tuesday.
As the number of shoppers and vehicles significantly increased ahead of Eid-ul-Azha and the city roads being locked after rainfall, the people are witnessing virtually chaos on roads, according to the Traffic Department of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
Besides, the officials at the Traffic Department blamed the unfit vehicles operators on city roads as well as the commuters for the tailback as they neither listen to the traffic police nor obey the traffic rules.
Those who had left office at 4:00pm in the hope of reaching home early were stuck at one junction or the other unable to inch their way forward for hours yesterday.
All the arrangements made by the Traffic
Department to handle traffic turned futile as the city roads were overcrowded with vehicles, commuters and Eid shoppers. Traffic congestions were mostly seen in front of posh shopping malls where shoppers rushed in private cars slowing down the movement of public transports.
Traffic movement from city’s Abdullhapur in Uttara to Gulisthan virtually comes to a halt at different strategic points for hours making public life a nightmare everyday.
With a huge number of all types of vehicles traffic movement comes to a standstill on around 30 kilometre long north-south corridor namely Gazipur-Mohakhali where buses of 60 routes run from Tongi, Abdullahpur, Uttara, Kuril and Khilkhet direction at a time.
One of the worst traffic congestion is experienced from around 9:00am to midnight on the Abdullahpur, House Building, Azampur, Rajlaxmi, Jashimuddin and Airport roads as Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Airport Railway Station and Headquarters of Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh, Armed Police Battalion and elite fore Rapid Action Battalion are situated on the both sides of the road.
This gridlock impact also spills over the entire city thoroughfares, including Banani, Mohakhali, Mohakhali Flyover, Prime Minister’s Office, Bijoy Saroni, Farmgate, Karwan Bazar, Bangla Motor, Shahbagh Intersection, Motshyo Bhaban and National Press Club. Since most city footpaths have been occupied by makeshift shops, the pedestrians and shoppers now have to walk on the main roads, contributing to the traffic jam.
Besides, New Market, Panthapath, Mouchak, Malibagh, Kakrail and Dhanmondi areas also experience severe traffic congestions, as popular shopping malls are located in these areas. When contacted, Probir Kumar Roy, Deputy Commissioner (Traffic North) of DMP claimed that the traffic situation has improved in recent days.
He said traffic police do not tolerate illegal parking on roads and walkways. “We do not allow it under any circumstances… We have been enforcing laws against illegal parking on the footpath strictly,” Roy further claimed.
He said though the DNCC with the help of law enforcers conduct mobile courts to free the roads and footpaths to facilitate smooth movement of pedestrians, hawkers and illegal occupants reoccupy those after their eviction.
“Besides, the roadside filing stations always deteriorate the traffic system. The long queues of vehicles at the filing station also caused traffic jams on the roads,” he said.
However, some high officials of the DMP’s traffic wing said there are several reasons behind usual gridlock for hours. They said the city dwellers might not have an immediate respite from such a situation as the pressure of vehicles continues.
Many of the commuters said inadequate number of traffic personnel deployed at intersections to enforce traffic rule causes gridlock instead of easing it.
Drivers of different modes of transport said since the traffic rule is enforced only at the intersections and not all along the roads, it results in unusual traffic congestion.
Some people, however, blamed bad traffic management for the situation, saying the increased volume of private cars is not alone responsible for the congestion.
