Since the beginning of Ramadan, city dwellers have started experiencing severe traffic gridlock, consuming their time and energy each day. Generally, it is seen that traffic congestion starts after 15 days of Ramadan, but this year traffic snarls have started much earlier. The congestion is severe especially in the morning and afternoon on almost all roads and streets of the capital, where people have to spend a big chunk of their time. The traffic has become haphazard this time because many roads are in a rundown condition, and the narrowing down of roads due to construction work of the metro rail project from Agargaon to Mirpur Road.
It has become difficult for those managing traffic to control the huge rush of vehicles. They said to have deployed additional manpower to maintain smooth flow of traffic. Senior officials of the traffic division are on patrol to curb traffic congestion. Mofiz Ahmed, joint commissioner, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (Traffic South), told The Independent that traffic congestion becomes severe especially in the afternoon, as all offices are closed earlier due to the change of timetable during Ramadan.
“We have been working hard to reduce sufferings of the people caused by traffic jams. During Ramadan, everyone tries to reach home at the same time, but there are not adequate free streets compared with the volume of traffic,” he said.
The government has fixed the office timings for Ramadan from 9am to 3:30pm. Within this time, people want to complete their day’s work and return home to break their fast. As a result, there is huge flow of commuters on the streets at the same time, which leads to congestion.
The Begum Rokey Sarani has become a place for heavy traffic congestion, as a large number of vehicles is passing every day when the metro rail project work is underway. Besides, the condition of the road is bad at some places.
Also, frequent rain nowadays is making the traffic movement slow, causing more jams. Officials of the traffic department said in a bid to reach their destination early, drivers overtake other vehicles and this worsens the situation.
There was a severe traffic jam from Gabtoli to Asad Gate and from Dhanmondi to Nilkhet in the morning and afternoon yesterday (Monday). Traffic snarls were also reported from the Farm Gate area and Mymensingh Road. A similar situation was seen at Rampura Road and Biswa Road. Vehicles stood bumper to bumper for hours.
The DMP's traffic department yesterday gave 14 suggestions to city dwellers and others to reduce traffic congestion: no driving on the wrong side; no violating of traffic signal; no parking of vehicles indiscriminately, especially in front of markets and shopping malls; no operating of vehicles which are unfit and without licence; commuters should use escalators and foot overbridge, instead of jay walking; no makeshift shops should be set up on footpaths, and so on.