Watery and muddy narrowed roads full of potholes are creating a public nuisance in the adjoining areas of the recently-inaugurated Mayor Mohammad Hanif Flyover.
The much-awaited 11.8km long flyover was opened to the public on October 11, but its construction has left havoc on roads in Golapshah Mazar-Phulbaria bus terminal and bus terminal Bangabazar areas that are yet to be repaired, alleged a number of locals and pedestrians.
They said the flyover has not played much role until now to curb traffic congestion in the area.
However, some of the busiest roads of the capital have been greatly damaged by its construction, including link roads between the capital and districts of the southern-eastern zone. Passengers suffer most while entering and leaving Dhaka.
Vehicles remain stranded for hours in tailbacks on the Gulistan-Jatrabari Road everyday as they have been narrowed because of the construction of the flyover in an unplanned way, claimed the commuters.
The road is lying full of potholes due to the lack of maintenance by the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC), they added. Water logging, filth and mud have added to the suffering of the commuters.
Shamim Khan, a resident of Jatrabari who has to use the Jatrabari-Gulistan Road every day to go to his shop in Bangabazar, said: “Most of the time vehicles move at a snail’s pace in the area because of the traffic. The main reason behind this terrible traffic is the narrowed roads which are full of thousands of holes.”
Aiub Ali, a bus driver, said: “City Corporation excavated the roads to build the flyover, though years have passed, the authority is not taking any prompt steps to repair the roads to normalise people’s lives in the area.”
When visiting the area this reporter found most parts of the Jatrabari-Sayedabad Road blocked by the machineries, tools and construction materials stationed there by the authority.
Buses were being compelled to use the Jatrabari-Doyaganj-Tikatuli route due to the situation.
Footpaths were also found to be littered with piles of rubbles and rubbish and illegal business establishments. As a result, pedestrians were left with no option but to take the muddy and over- crowded roads.
Project Director and Superintendent Engineer of DSCC M Ashiqur Rahman told the Dhaka tribune: “The DSCC has already started repairing the broken roads. After completing the construction work of the flyover, all the machines and construction materials will be removed.”
“If we can run the construction work at a stretch without any impediment, the flyover will be completed within the next three months,” he added.
Admitting the situation, earlier DSCC Chief Engineer Md Zahangir Alam said repair work would start soon after the rainy weather had passed.
Terrible traffic congestion is a common scenario on Jatrabari, Sayedabad, Golapshah Mazar to Phulbaria, bus terminal to Bangabazaar, and Gulistan to Sadarghat as the roads have been narrowed due to unplanned digging.
Failing to meet more than half a dozen deadlines, part of the much-awaited Jatrabari-Gulistan Flyover was inaugurated by the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on October 11 to reduce traffic congestion and facilitate the smoother movement of vehicles.
Masudul Alam, the owner of a bookstore at Jatrabari intersection said: “Few highway buses are using the flyover while most of the city buses are still taking the roads underneath the flyover.”
“No changes have been made in the area’s traffic scenario,” he said.
The Tk23bn flyover project is country’s first Public Private Partnership (PPP) project under the theme “build, own, operate and transfer.” Orion Group was assigned to the project in 2005.
