S. A. Shofiee, Sylhet :
The intolerable traffic congestion in Sylhet city has become a commonplace and a nightmare for the city dwellers as they can hardly reach their destinations on time due to severity of the problem.
According to the sources, severe traffic congestion can be felt at the busy points of Pulermuk, Zindabazar, Bondarbazar, Dargahgate, Mirabazar, Shibgonj, Railway station and bus stand area.
Thousands of people from adjacent upazilas and other parts of the district come to the city for various purposes everyday. On the other hand, the rush of people increases, especially during office hours; the roads cannot accommodate space for the vehicles.
Shamim Iqbal a city dweller told that he is late in his office everyday due to traffic congestion. Housewife Anni Begum, a shopper from Zindabazar said, ‘After ending the shopping, we cannot get any rickshaw or battery-run easy-bike on the road. Drivers disagree to carry the passengers. Even if we manage to get a rickshaw or easy-bike, we have to spend extra time to travel the distance due to traffic congestion.’
The drivers stop these vehicles on the roads for passengers. Besides, haphazard parking of the rickshaws and battery-run easy-bikes by the side of markets, shopping centres, educational institutions and key installations are narrowing the space of the streets, hampering smooth traffic movement, alleged city dwellers. Moreover, illegal occupation of roads by small traders and vendors is also contributing to the traffic jam, some people alleged. Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) panel mayor-1 Koyes Lody said that all the makeshift shops on the roads would be removed.
Assistant Commissioner Md Rahmot Ullah said, ‘Though the drivers of three-wheelers and rickshaw pullers are mostly illiterate and do not go by the traffic rules we have taken extra measures to ease traffic jam in the city.’
He further said, ‘Many private vehicles are also creating traffic congestion here in the Sylhet city.’
Chairperson of Sujon, Faruk Mahmud Chy. alleged that that there is no adequate number of public buses or vehicles in the city for carrying the office-goers. More than one lakh people and regular office going passengers are suffering for lack of vehicles as well as traffic congestion. He also alleged that the battery-run easy-bikes are intensifying the traffic congestion in the city.
The intolerable traffic congestion in Sylhet city has become a commonplace and a nightmare for the city dwellers as they can hardly reach their destinations on time due to severity of the problem.
According to the sources, severe traffic congestion can be felt at the busy points of Pulermuk, Zindabazar, Bondarbazar, Dargahgate, Mirabazar, Shibgonj, Railway station and bus stand area.
Thousands of people from adjacent upazilas and other parts of the district come to the city for various purposes everyday. On the other hand, the rush of people increases, especially during office hours; the roads cannot accommodate space for the vehicles.
Shamim Iqbal a city dweller told that he is late in his office everyday due to traffic congestion. Housewife Anni Begum, a shopper from Zindabazar said, ‘After ending the shopping, we cannot get any rickshaw or battery-run easy-bike on the road. Drivers disagree to carry the passengers. Even if we manage to get a rickshaw or easy-bike, we have to spend extra time to travel the distance due to traffic congestion.’
The drivers stop these vehicles on the roads for passengers. Besides, haphazard parking of the rickshaws and battery-run easy-bikes by the side of markets, shopping centres, educational institutions and key installations are narrowing the space of the streets, hampering smooth traffic movement, alleged city dwellers. Moreover, illegal occupation of roads by small traders and vendors is also contributing to the traffic jam, some people alleged. Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) panel mayor-1 Koyes Lody said that all the makeshift shops on the roads would be removed.
Assistant Commissioner Md Rahmot Ullah said, ‘Though the drivers of three-wheelers and rickshaw pullers are mostly illiterate and do not go by the traffic rules we have taken extra measures to ease traffic jam in the city.’
He further said, ‘Many private vehicles are also creating traffic congestion here in the Sylhet city.’
Chairperson of Sujon, Faruk Mahmud Chy. alleged that that there is no adequate number of public buses or vehicles in the city for carrying the office-goers. More than one lakh people and regular office going passengers are suffering for lack of vehicles as well as traffic congestion. He also alleged that the battery-run easy-bikes are intensifying the traffic congestion in the city.
