Port city gets stuck in gridlock

Hundreds of vehicles stuck in a gridlock at Agrabad Sheikh Mujib Road in the city for hours everyday.Photo: Zobaer Hossain Sikder

People get stuck in intolerable gridlock from the very beginning of the Ramadan in different areas of the port city due to dilapidated condition of almost all the busy roads.
Such condition of the highways aggravated the situation.
People fear more bitter experience ahead of the Eid-Ul Fitr.
The city dwellers usually face such a situation since middle of the Ramadan but this time it has started too early, said Md Yasin, a senior official of a private bank in Agrabad area.
Commuters are forced to wait inside vehicles for hours on their way to and from the workplaces in the morning and in the afternoon.
The worst situation is mainly experienced at the intersections of the main highway that passes through the city linking Kalurghat at the eastern end with Patenga at southern end.
These intersections include Agrabad Badamtali, Choumuhani, Dewanhat, Tigerpass, GEC Moor, Sholashahar Gate No-2, Muradpur and Bahoddarhat.
Situation is gradually turning from bad to worse at BRTC, Kadamtali, New Market, Kotwali, Anderkilla, Enayet Bazar, Amtal in Reazuddin Bazar and Gol Pahar in Mehdibag.
Adjoining highways and streets like Sheikh Mujib Road, OR Nizam Road, Pathantuli Road, Jubilee Road, Sirajuddowlah Road, Bakalia DC Road, Station Road and Batali Road also remain stuck for hours during this time.
The city is witnessing serious traffic congestion at these points though the shopping for Eid that contributes to the gridlock is yet to get momentum.
Monika Das, a woman entrepreneur, said the authorities should take effective steps immediately to keep the situation under control during Eid shopping.
Office goers, students as well as workers of different industrial units suffer seriously as the streets remain blocked since 10:00am.
The extreme suffering of the city dwellers begins from around 2:00pm and continues until the Iftar.
As most of the offices break up at the same time during Ramadan staffs and workers of different offices and industrial units in Agrabad Commercial area and Chittagong Export Processing Zone face serious problems to get in public vehicles due to huge rush.
Munir Hasan, a staff of an insurance company, said they are to wait for hours in Lalkhan Bazar area every afternoon to get a bus or other modes of transports as the vehicles coming from the port area remain packed.
Mostak Ahmad, Assistant Commissioner (Traffic) of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP), said the situation is comparatively well this year.
Pointing to the dilapidated condition of the city streets, he said such condition of roads is also a reason for creating congestion.
Mostak said despite shortage of human resources they are trying their level best to streamlining the traffic system in the city where around one lakh vehicles ply.
He said they have sought cooperation of other authorities like Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) to play their roles in this regard ahead of Eid.
Around 700 city service buses, 13,000 CNG-run auto-rickshaws, 1,000 inter-district buses, 5,000 trucks, 1,000 tempos, 30,000 rickshaws are plying in the city, sources said.
Many of these vehicles are plying without proper documents by the unskilled drivers. The vehicles often defy the traffic rules, causing traffic congestion.
Meanwhile, CCC has started mobile court drives against reckless driving and the vehicles plying without proper documents to bring the situation under control.
Mohammad Ali Mian, Deputy Commissioner (Traffic) said they will deploy more sergeants in 12 points in the city to control the situation ahead of Eid.