Traffic congestion in most of areas of the port city has intensified from the third week of Ramadan, causing intolerable sufferings to commuters as well as city dwellers.
Traffic Department of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) cannot control the gridlocks even after taking special measures, deploying additional traffic police and giving additional duties to its officials at significant points.
CMP sources said they had made rickshaw plying limited on streets as it is the main cause behind the gridlocks in the metropolitan city.
The commuters, iftar shoppers as well as pedestrians were compelled to remain stranded on the city streets for hours yesterday.
The most congested areas included Baharddarhat, Muradpur, GEC Circle, Agrabad Badamtoli, CEPZ, New Market, Sholoshahor, Number 2 Gate, Anderkilla and Chawkbazar.
At Agrabad, GEC, Sholoshahor, Number 2 Gate, Agrabad and Muradpur points, many commuters were seen taking iftar in buses as they could not reach their destinations before the iftar.
Usually, the rush on the roads starts increasing from 2pm and it turns into a jam-packed state by 5pm. Sometimes, city people have to suffer till the midnight.
Traffic police sources said rampant occupying of footpaths on different important roads by the hawkers and street vendors, makeshift outlets of different hotels and restaurants on the footpaths and streets are the major reasons behind the traffic congestion during the month of Ramadan.
The on-duty traffic personnel have virtually nothing to do for easing the traffic rather just witnessing the congestion.
Shakila Farzana, additional deputy commissioner of Chittagong Traffic police, said they continued efforts to ease sufferings of the commuters and city dwellers.
“Traffic department has taken additional measures giving additional duties to its officials to reduce the suffering of city dwellers after 12th Ramadan, she added.
