S M Mizanur Rahman :Terrible tailbacks continued to frustrate the city dwellers as valuable hours are being lost on the journey throughout the day. Traffic movement in the city streets almost came to a halt also on Tuesday. As a result, commuters’ valuable times and energy are being wasted and making their lives miserable. It has also great economic impact on production and thus on our national economy. Besides, traffic congestions are intensifying sufferings of the commuters keeping people motionless as well as creating suffocating condition in the streets.One of the worst traffic congestion was experienced yesterday on the city’s Staff Road, Banani, Gulshan-1, Gulshan-2 and Baridhara roads, especially the Gulshan and Kamal Ataturk Avenues. Besides, the commuters also suffered the worst of traffic jams on Mirpur Road, Panthapath and on some other roads in Moghbazar and Malibagh areas for most of the day while traffic also collapsed on Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue stretching from Shahbagh to Mohakhali and Banani.The flyovers on Staff Road and Mohakhali, link roads at Bijoy Sarani-Tejgaon, Mid Badda and Hatirjjheel-Rampura Bridge and intersection at many strategic points in city deteriorated the traffic system instead of improving, this reporter at a field visit witnessed such chaotic situation. Though various steps were taken to ease the traffic jam, there was not a minimum impact on the overall situation. City’s almost all public transports are seen parked haphazardly on the street for taking more passengers. Talking to The New Nation Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Annisul Haq said it is not possible to free the capital from severe traffic jam overnight. “It’s only six weeks since I have assumed office. I am seeking six months time from the valued citizens to address the problems. It is not possible to bring a change overnight. But I do believe that initial changes will be visible in about six months to a year,” he said. He said the issues of waste management, controlling billboard and traffic jam are the first steps towards making Dhaka a green, clean and livable city. “I am holding meeting with the urban planners and experts, World Bank representatives and other related stakeholders to make the capital a hassle and jam free city,” he said, adding development work is going on in the city and there will be a huge change in next one to two years When contacted Professor A M M Amanat Ullah Khan, an urban planner, said the government would have to consider the city’s worst traffic congestion as a major task.”Identifying the root causes of traffic congestion in city, we some professionals working in the field of urban-planning placed recommendations on several times. But there was no headway with the problem,” he said. Prof. Amanat Ullah said, traffic police department, City Corporation and BRTA know that the minimum road requirement is 25 per cent for a standard city, whereas Dhaka has only 7.5 per cent.”With limited 7.5 per cent road the high command of the government will have to strictly deal the issue. Immediate action will have to be taken against unfit vehicles, rickshaws and hawkers to free the city people from gridlock,” he said. He said many research works and analysis were done but no results have come yet. “The government will have to play its bold role in easing the traffic system in city through bringing back discipline. Go hard on drivers who violate the traffic rules,” he said. Apart from this, many drivers stop their buses haphazardly far from the bus stop creating road blocks, he said, adding the drivers do not show regard for traffic rules, making the matter worse. “Some of them were even found gossiping keeping their vehicles on the roads while other buses are seen blocking traffic to pick up passengers under the very nose of the law enforcers. It can’t be continued,” added the urban planer. The flyovers at Staff Road and Mohakhali, and the link road at Bijoy Sarani-Tejgaon were supposed to ease traffic jam, has actually increased road chaos Following the opening of Bijoy Sarani-Tejgaon link road the vehicles are to wait for two more signals. And thus it creates tailbacks up to Sonargaon intersection on one side and Mohakhali flyover on the other. “It has brought an additional mess that we are facing now,” Professor Amanat Ullah said.A traffic police in Tejgaon area said the link road has added more waiting time for traffic from all three directions — -Farmgate, Jahangir Gate and Bijoy Sarani-at Bijoy Sarani intersection. When contacted Deputy Commissioner (Traffic North) said that he along with joint commissioner, additional commissioner, other officials and constables are working round the clock to maintain smooth traffic system in the city.”We hope that the current severe traffic jam will go away after the Eid-ul-Fitr,” he said.
