Severe traffic congestions prompted by rain crippled Dhaka yesterday. People trapped in traffic for hours immensely suffered. Some felt sick amid the waterlogged traffic while the rain took heavy toll on the office goers. However, some points of the metropolis were comparatively free.
The gridlock and waterlogging during the rush hours spread across the city later. Although the sky smiled in the afternoon, the city commuters hardly had any relief. The traffic police personnel were found helpless at several points.
At 10am, vehicles on nearly each street to Khilgaon rail gate found halted. The sardine packed buses were locked in traffic jam. In the meantime, the commuters could not avail any public transport even after waiting for hours. Some of them had not choice except start walking to their destination amid downpour.
Rizaul Islam, a non-governmental organization employee, headed for Motijheel to his office from Khilgaon at 8:30 in the morning. He was out one and a half hours earlier though the road usually takes hardly 30 minutes. Islam reached Motijheel after a frantic effort for public buses and it took more than two hours.
"I found the road heavily congested soon after reached at the main road. I availed rickshaw, waited for bus and then started walking. The shower, moreover, mounted up the sufferings," he said. Kamal, the on-duty traffic personnel on Khilgaon rail gate, said: "No surprise that rain wreaks havoc during the rush hours-7:00am to 9:00am. Later, the private vehicles and three-wheelers appear in the traffic flow after the shower." The Wednesday's version matches the criteria and the orchestra rang loudly. Apart from this, construction, repairing and road digging at several key points of the town contributed the woes.
A jet machine was found left on the road at Fakirapool intersection for the drainage construction. Earth was also piled up by the road narrowing the traffic flow down. The scenario matches Motijheel, Gulistan, Paltan, Kakrail, Santinagar, Malibagh, Mouchak, Moghbazar, Banglamotor, Dhanmondi and Mirpur. On the other hand, Sonargaon intersection, Shahbagh, Bijoy Sarani to Satrasta, Hatirjheel and Gulshan areas were found comparatively free. "Basically private cars run on these roads. People with own vehicles less likely out at gloomy days which may be the cause of congestion-free roads in these areas," drivers said.
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