City dwellers yesterday faced unexpected traffic gridlock as major thoroughfares in Mohammadpur and Mirpur areas were set off limit without any apparent reason.
Many roads had ‘diversion’ signs put up at various points and made the vehicles to ply on one specific route thus creating huge tailbacks.
Commuters alleged that their vehicles were diverted on three major roads leading to Mohammadpur from Mirpur during the rush hour of the day. They did not know why the diversion. Traffic police men also seemed to have no answer.
The roads around Agargaon, Bangabandhu International Conference Centre and Chandrima Uddyan were blocked making only the Manik Mia avenue and Khamar Bari open to traffic.
The unplanned diversion took commuters, many of who were headed to work, about two hours to cross only a four-kilometre distance.
Ratna Saha, a commuter working at a private company, said she had to go to Karwan Bazar but was stuck at one place for more than half an hour. “No one knows why the diversion all on a sudden.”
A passenger of Shikhor Paribahan M Solaiman had an appointment at 11am at Matijheel. But at around 10:30am, he only made it till the Election Commission office in Agargaon.
“It is really frustrating. Without any notice, they have put up a diversion sign,” he said.
Bus driver Sohel said his vehicle, plying on Mirpur Road, was made to turn to Rokeya Sarani from Asadgate area. “Traffic sergeant waved his stick and asked me to turn. I don’t know why.”
He said passengers who would go to Mohammadpur or Shyamoli would face a lot of trouble going to to their destinations.
A traffic sergeant doing his duty near the Election Commission office was also asked the reason for diversion but he said he was only following instruction.
On Mirpur Road, the stretch from Residential School to Shyamoli was closed down. Another traffic police man here said: “Only our sir know why. We were told to put up barricades and that’s what we did.”
Finding no other alternatives, many commuters were seen walking to their destinations under the glaring sun of April.
