Mymensingh stuck in gridlock

Long queues of cars, buses, rickshaws and motorbikes -- an inseparable image associated mostly with life in metros -- like Dhaka and Chattogram. However, traffic jam, these days, has become a regular phenomenon in the somewhat small divisional city of Mymensingh as well.

Official data suggests that the population of the city was only 3,50,000 in 2011. The population of Mymensingh, which was upgraded to a city corporation in 2018, doubled by 2021.

In 2011, only 5,000 rickshaws and auto-rickshaws plied the city streets. Currently, the number of licensed rickshaws, auto-rickshaws and vans plying the city is around 15,000, according to Md Waliul Islam, assistant licence inspector of the Mymensingh City Corporation.

Residents of the city, however, have claimed that the actual number of battery-run three-wheelers is three times higher.

Contacted, Mymensingh Traffic Inspector Syed Mahbubur Rahman said no extension work of the city roads was done in last 25 years, but the number of vehicles plying the city roads has increased manifolds.

"We informed the deputy commissioner, the police superintendent and the MCC  [Mymensingh City Corporation] mayor of this menace on multiple occasions, but to no avail," said engineer Nurul Amin Kalam, president of Mymensingh Nagorik Andolon.

The ever-increasing population is accompanied by the occupation of footpaths. While visiting some of the busiest points of the city, like Ganginapar, Station Road and Durgabari areas, this correspondent found around 300 vendors running their business on the footpaths, blocking the walkways for pedestrians.

Residents claimed that even after multiple drives conducted by the MCC to evict the illegal occupants, the situation has not improved.

The busiest roads and lanes are at times blocked by construction materials, making it impossible for both vehicles and pedestrians to move without any obstacle. Construction businesses are mostly owned by people from influential quarters, and so there is no proper monitoring from the authority's end on the issue, alleged city dwellers.

There are around 90 traffic police personnel for 18 points in the city and it is very difficult to control this many vehicles with such a small workforce, said the traffic inspector.

"In cases of emergency, we seek the police's help and get immediate response from them," informed Traffic Inspector Mahbubur.

MCC mayor Ekramul Haque Titu said the city corporation has divided three-wheeler routes in the city based on registration numbers and colours, to solve the issue.

"Drives against unregistered vehicles are ongoing to control traffic jams," said the mayor.