Near constant traffic gridlock has become commonplace in Chittagong city which many blame on, among others, an increase in vehicle numbers, illegal parking and shops, lack of wide roads and rickshaws plying on roads meant for motorised vehicles. The photo was taken from Dewanhat area recently. Photo: Anurup Kanti Das

Near constant traffic gridlock is taking severe proportions in Chittagong city which many blame on a lack of coordination between Traffic Division of Chittagong Metropolitan Police and Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) and their lack of initiatives.
Intense traffic jam, especially during the morning and evening peak hours, causes immense sufferings to commuters every day.
The problem intensifies at such intersections as CDA Avenue, Agrabad, Bahaddarhat, Mehedibagh, Saltgola, Jubilee Road, Jamal Khan, Muradpur and Oxygen.
Sources at the Traffic Division think the increase in the number of vehicles, much more than the roads can accommodate, is the main cause behind the tailbacks.
According to Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA), Chittagong office, around two lakh vehicles ply in the city.
The number of public transports is around 17,000, including over 13,000 CNG-run auto-rickshaws, 984 buses, 605 human haulers and 1,605 auto-tempos.
On an average, 36 vehicles are registered a day, said BRTA sources.
Moreover, the number of roads has not increased in proportion with the rapid increase in vehicle numbers, opine traffic officials.
Construction works of CDA projects to widen roads take up a major portion of the roads and the slow implementation pace seemingly magnifies people's sufferings.
These development works can be seen on streets, from Chawkbazar to Gani Bakary, Dewanhat to Pahartali and Bahaddarhat to Kalurghat.
Illegal parking, illegal shops set up on streets and stops by public transports for passengers at undesignated sections of the roads only add to the problem, hampering the smooth movement of vehicles.
Many commercial buildings, including restaurants, private clinics, educational institutions and shopping malls at OR Nizam Raod, CDA Avenue, Muradpur, Chawkbazar, Sheikh Mujib Road, Jamal Khan, Dampara, Zakir Hossain Road, Panchlaish and Mehedibagh have no parking facilities.
Therefore, residents of these buildings and visitors who arrive park their vehicles on the road, blocking off a lane meant for traffic.
Traffic Division Assistant Deputy Commissioner Tanvir Arafat said, “We allow only a single lane for parking in a few streets and penalise multi-lane parking.
“We also impose fines and file cases against owners of around 400-450 vehicles every day for illegal parking.
“We repeatedly issued notices to educational institutions to provide transport facilities for students or to provide parking spaces but none responded.”
On public transports stopping at undesignated places for passengers, Tanvir Arafat said, “We always try to take action and file cases against these vehicles whenever we notice this.”
Lax monitoring by CDA means that many building owners do not keep parking spaces even for themselves, let alone for guests, said traffic division officials.
CDA Deputy Chief Town Planner Sarwar Uddin Ahmad said, “Many citizens do not follow the building plans accurately after getting approval. Some keep a nominal parking space and some do not keep any space at all.
“Due to manpower shortages and other limitations, we cannot always monitor and take action against the guilty.”
He also blamed the plying of a huge number of illegal rickshaws on roads meant for motorised vehicles for the traffic congestion.
The Traffic Division and Chittagong City Corporation sources said around 1.5 lakh rickshaws are present in the city though only 35,000 have CCC licenses.
Moreover, the Traffic Division took a decision to ban rickshaws from Barik Building Mor to Bahaddarhat early this year. But it was scrapped due to agitation by rickshaw-pullers against the decision.
Moinul Islam, a commuter, said, “Traffic jam is gradually increasing in the city causing untold sufferings to us, wasting working hours and also dampening our spirit.
“The authorities concerned must take remedial measures soon otherwise the problem would turn out to be a big one like Dhaka is facing at present.”