Traffic goes haywire
Traffic flow heading for Phulbaria can't move forward despite a green signal at the city's Zero Point yesterday as vehicles from the left are still entering the intersection violating a red light. Photo: Shawkat Jamil
The city dwellers suffered increased traffic mess on the first day of using automated light signals due to people's lack of awareness, their tendency to break it and the system's failure to work in sync.
Moreover, traffic signals at several intersections were found out of order while Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) stopped manual control from yesterday.
The existing automated traffic signals will not be effective unless they are synchronised and traffic infrastructures are enhanced, said a traffic department engineer of Dhaka City Corporation preferring anonymity.
Rezaul Khan, a Kalabagan resident, had to wait for 50 minutes yesterday in front of city's Square Hospital on Panthapath due to faulty signal and congestion at Russel Square.
“A signal light remained red for 21 minutes and then the on-duty traffic police had to override it,” said Khan.
Sheikh Enamul Hasan of Mughda got stuck in the traffic jam on the Khilgaon flyover along with his class-VIII student son, who was on way to attend final examination at Willes Little Flower School in Kakrail, and at one stage Enam had to ask his son to go on foot.
A daily commuter from Uttara section-14, Syed Hasan said he had to spend around two and a half hours to reach Karwan Bazar yesterday though it usually takes him less than an hour.
“I had to wait in the traffic gridlocks at Khilkhet, Natun Bazar, Banani and all the way from Mohakhali to Karwan Bazar,” said Hasan.
The DMP on Saturday decided that they would switch from old-school manual control to traffic light signals to ease traffic congestion in the capital.
Now, traffic officials will not halt normal flow of vehicles to make passages for the VIPs except for the president and the prime minister.
DMP will also demarcate major roads for movement of different modes of vehicles from December 1 to check overtaking, congestion and road accidents.
DPM Commissioner AKM Shahidul Haque told reporters yesterday that they had decided to activate the automated signalling system to restore image of the traffic police whose manual control is often partially blamed for traffic congestion.
Only a swing towards automated signals will not give optimum benefit until the city's traffic infrastructure is enhanced, he said while replying to a question.
“However,” he said, “we are trying to make people accustomed to the automated signalling system.”
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