S.A Shofiee, Sylhet :
Most roads of Sylhet have turned unfit for vehicular movement as numerous potholes and cracks have developed on those making commuters riding riskier as the authorities have failed to repair those ahead of the rainy season.
Traffic comes to a snail’s pace on those roads every now and then creating long tailbacks for hours together, forcing the commuters, mostly school-and office-goers, to reach their destinations late.
The public sufferings worsen further when there is rain as many of these roads and lanes go under knee-deep water due to the poor drainage system.
Many roads in Subidbazar, Amborkhana, Patantula,Railwaystation, Mirabazar, Shibgong, kodomtoly,Zindabazar areas of Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) were found to be in the most sorry state during a recent field visit by this correspondent.
Voicing their utter frustration, residents of the areas almost equivocally noted that they had not seen any noticeable efforts from the authorities concerned to minimise their sufferings.
Abul Kalam, a resident of Uposohor A-Block, said, “In spite of being a VIP area, there has been no drain so far alongside roads in Shibgong area. Even a moderate rain submerges the Uposohor road.”
However, officials of the Sylhet city corporations claimed they have taken several steps and are working on a plan to solve the problem.
SCC chief Executive Anmul Habib said many roads have turned unfit since there was no representative in this city corporation for a long time and those will be repaired soon.
Town bus service in trouble
The town bus service in Sylhet has stumbled down with 19 minibuses plying on only 2 routes whereas 35 vehicles were pressed on 10 routes, connecting the city with suburban destinations. It may face closure any time, if more buses are not added and further attention is not given to streamline the service,
The service at the beginning drew much response from the commuters, especially the traders, students and low and middle income group people as there had been a serious crisis of transport during the caretaker regime.
But, in only 7 years, it started losing attraction for reasons like irregular timetable, poor quality vehicles and lack of coordination. Passengers alleged the drivers and staff were not sincere in maintaining the service properly.
The management was now thinking to wind up the service, if steps were not taken immediately, owners association sources said.
Lack of parking place, passengers shed and traffic jam caused schedule break, which led to reducing the passengers, they alleged.
management sources said. The Sylhet town bus service was started for the commuters on Mar 26 of 2008 by a group of transport owners. The routes from the city were for Jalalpur, Hetimganj, Hajiganj, Tukerbazar, Lalabazar, Kamalbazar, Bagha, Bateswar and Medical Road etc.
Hailing from the suburban Gotatikor Md. Muhibur Rahman, an employee of a private firm near the Shahjalal varsity gate has to change thrice to reach the destination from house everyday. ‘I avail rickshaw to reach Kodomtoli from my house at Alampur, then auto rickshaw or easy bike upto Bandarbazar for auto rickshaw to reach the varsity gate,’ Muhibur added.
‘Whereas I could avail town bus from my house to reach Bandarbazar for availing another town bus to the varsity gate’, he added, but they don’t have any timetable.
Town Bus Malik Samity’s executive president Nazmul Islam, also Golapganj upazila parishad chairman told this correspondent yesterday owners have lost interest in the service due to minimum facility and already 7 routes had been shut. We are just continuing the service on 2 routes, he said and added indiscriminate permission for human hauler has caused much trouble for us. The then city mayor had assured of taking steps for reshuffling the city bus service, but nothing could be done since he (the myor, now suspended) had beed in jail, Nazmul added.
The Sylhet Corporation (SCC) in last year initiated preparation for a fresh commuter service and the Nitol Tata group had agreed providing 100 buses for it. But the move went stalled as the mayor was suspended and no longer in office now, SCC sources informed.
Most roads of Sylhet have turned unfit for vehicular movement as numerous potholes and cracks have developed on those making commuters riding riskier as the authorities have failed to repair those ahead of the rainy season.
Traffic comes to a snail’s pace on those roads every now and then creating long tailbacks for hours together, forcing the commuters, mostly school-and office-goers, to reach their destinations late.
The public sufferings worsen further when there is rain as many of these roads and lanes go under knee-deep water due to the poor drainage system.
Many roads in Subidbazar, Amborkhana, Patantula,Railwaystation, Mirabazar, Shibgong, kodomtoly,Zindabazar areas of Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) were found to be in the most sorry state during a recent field visit by this correspondent.
Voicing their utter frustration, residents of the areas almost equivocally noted that they had not seen any noticeable efforts from the authorities concerned to minimise their sufferings.
Abul Kalam, a resident of Uposohor A-Block, said, “In spite of being a VIP area, there has been no drain so far alongside roads in Shibgong area. Even a moderate rain submerges the Uposohor road.”
However, officials of the Sylhet city corporations claimed they have taken several steps and are working on a plan to solve the problem.
SCC chief Executive Anmul Habib said many roads have turned unfit since there was no representative in this city corporation for a long time and those will be repaired soon.
Town bus service in trouble
The town bus service in Sylhet has stumbled down with 19 minibuses plying on only 2 routes whereas 35 vehicles were pressed on 10 routes, connecting the city with suburban destinations. It may face closure any time, if more buses are not added and further attention is not given to streamline the service,
The service at the beginning drew much response from the commuters, especially the traders, students and low and middle income group people as there had been a serious crisis of transport during the caretaker regime.
But, in only 7 years, it started losing attraction for reasons like irregular timetable, poor quality vehicles and lack of coordination. Passengers alleged the drivers and staff were not sincere in maintaining the service properly.
The management was now thinking to wind up the service, if steps were not taken immediately, owners association sources said.
Lack of parking place, passengers shed and traffic jam caused schedule break, which led to reducing the passengers, they alleged.
management sources said. The Sylhet town bus service was started for the commuters on Mar 26 of 2008 by a group of transport owners. The routes from the city were for Jalalpur, Hetimganj, Hajiganj, Tukerbazar, Lalabazar, Kamalbazar, Bagha, Bateswar and Medical Road etc.
Hailing from the suburban Gotatikor Md. Muhibur Rahman, an employee of a private firm near the Shahjalal varsity gate has to change thrice to reach the destination from house everyday. ‘I avail rickshaw to reach Kodomtoli from my house at Alampur, then auto rickshaw or easy bike upto Bandarbazar for auto rickshaw to reach the varsity gate,’ Muhibur added.
‘Whereas I could avail town bus from my house to reach Bandarbazar for availing another town bus to the varsity gate’, he added, but they don’t have any timetable.
Town Bus Malik Samity’s executive president Nazmul Islam, also Golapganj upazila parishad chairman told this correspondent yesterday owners have lost interest in the service due to minimum facility and already 7 routes had been shut. We are just continuing the service on 2 routes, he said and added indiscriminate permission for human hauler has caused much trouble for us. The then city mayor had assured of taking steps for reshuffling the city bus service, but nothing could be done since he (the myor, now suspended) had beed in jail, Nazmul added.
The Sylhet Corporation (SCC) in last year initiated preparation for a fresh commuter service and the Nitol Tata group had agreed providing 100 buses for it. But the move went stalled as the mayor was suspended and no longer in office now, SCC sources informed.
