People suffer at Jatrabari, Saidabad and Gulistan in Dhaka because of rickety roads, lack of road maintenance and road space occupation under the Hanif flyover that often force vehicles to go up on the bridge.
The 11.7km flyover, the longest in the country, erected for Tk 2,108 crore, was meant to help vehicles from the country鈥檚 south and south-west to reach Dhaka, avoiding traffic congestion.
But the road congestion continues on the Mayor Mohammad Hanif flyover and under it. People suffer on the road under the flyover because of the mismanagement and negligence of the authorities that have persisted since its commissioning on October 11, 2013.
Al Mamun, a Hanif Paribahan driver, has said that the road at the mouth of the flyover at Jatrabari has narrowed as auto-rickshaws and modified utility vehicles use the point as a stand. 鈥楾he chaos sometimes forces drivers to take the flyover even if they do not need to.鈥�
The Bangladesh Institute of Planners president Adil Muhammad Khan on August 7 said that although the flyover was designed to ease traffic, people kept facing delays for hours on the flyover and under it because of design flaws, poor maintenance and inadequate management.
鈥楾he entity that collects flyover tolls appears unwilling to sort out the problems so that more vehicles are forced to take the flyover,鈥� he has said.
Jamal Uddin, a Komol Minibus Service bus driver who was caught in congestion at Gulistan on August 7 after he had driven down off the flyover, has said that traffic worsened in office hours.
Vehicles ramping down the flyover remain stuck for hours, struggling to turn towards the zero point because only one lane then works, he said.
鈥楧own off the flyover, I had waited for about 50 minutes to turn towards the zero point. It should not take more than five minutes,鈥� he said.
The road stretch off the flyover ramp at Kaptan Bazar towards Phulbaria was closed on August 7. Vehicles were diverted towards Baitul Mukarram from the zero point, which caused congestion tailing back from the flyover.
Both the lanes of the Phulbaria Road, meanwhile, remain occupied by vendors selling shoes, almost stopping vehicle movement and leaving little room for pedestrians to walk by.
A traffic wing officer has said that the road towards Phulbaria has been closed for about three months, which he thinks has worsened the situation. He could not say why the road had been closed.
Nur Islam, who has pulled rickshaws in the Gulistan area for about 20 years, has said that congestion there is a daily routine as roads remain occupied mostly by vendors. 鈥楾he police do not take any action as they take bribes from the vendors.鈥�
At least three secondary transfer stations have been erected under the flyover from Gulistan to Saidabad. While garbage transfer occupies road spaces at several points, horses are kept under the flyover. Makeshift shops selling fruit, tea or poultry birds only compound the situation.
Sections of the road, especially between Rajdhani Super Market and Saidabad, remain damaged. There is a vehicle stand at Kaptan Bazar and buses and pick-ups are parked at several points.
The Institute of Planners president has said while flyovers are designed to occupy the minimal space beneath, the Hanif flyover occupies most of the road space, causing chaos, he has said.
He has suggested 鈥榩ossible design changes鈥� under the flyover to help ease traffic congestion and make the area more accessible.
The Dhaka South City Corporation鈥檚 chief engineer Md Asaduzzaman has said, 鈥楾he flyover was erected long ago. But, if specific suggestions are made, we will think about it.鈥�
The chief executive officer Md Johirul Islam of Dhaka鈥檚 south city authorities could not be reached for comments.
