Traffic congestion has taken a serious turn on different roads in the Sylhet ahead of the forthcoming Eid-ul-Fitr festival, causing immense sufferings to city dwellers.
The government’s efforts to ease traffic congestion during the fasting month of Ramzan have virtually failed to make any impact on city traffic, sources concerned said.
Indiscriminate parking of cars in front of shopping malls, disobeying of traffic rules, jaywalking and road digging by various utility service providers are mainly intensifying the traffic jam in the city.
Frequent road crossings by pedestrians, unplanned bus stops and occupation of walkways and roads by hawkers are also causing severe traffic jams.
Thousands of vehicles remain stuck in terrible traffic jams for hours from morning to late night every day. It takes nearly an hour to reach a distance of three to four kilometres during rush hour.
Huge number of private cars in the Sylhet also causes traffic congestion while illegal parking is one of the main reasons for traffic jam. Cars, motorcycles and other vehicles are parked almost everywhere.
A significant portion of a road near any popular shopping centre remains occupied because of illegal parking. As Eid shoppers throng different shopping centres in the Sylhet before Eid festival, the situation worsens.
Most of the roads in Sylhet city are congested and narrow. Some roads are quite wide but unauthorised parking has made the wide road congested.
Illegal parking in front of Chouhatta and Rikabibazar has occupied a major portion of the road there, causing serious traffic congestion in Zindabazar, Bandarbazar and Amborkahan area.
During a visit to Zindabazar and Nayasorok, this correspondent found huge traffic jam as many renowned shopping mall and shop are situated there.
While talking to various SMP traffic officials, they said cars parking in front of shopping malls, road digging by various utility service providers, road crossings by pedestrians, unplanned bus stops and occupation of walkways and roads by hawkers cause severe traffic jam.
The traffic department of Sylhet metropolitan Police (SMP) has taken some measures to curb traffic congestion in Sylhet city during the month of Ramadan.
As a part of it, the traffic police conducted drives against illegal car parking which is one of the main causes of unbearable traffic jam.
Some people, however, allege that the police are using the drive as a means of extortion.
Rohomot Ullah, deputy commissioner of (Media) of SMP, said traffic police are trying to curb traffic jam in Sylhet city. Several initiatives have been taken to curb traffic jam during Ramadan. The drive against illegal parking will continue, he added.
