Dhaka down with downpour

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Spells of torrential rain played havoc in the capital yesterday, submerging many streets and causing daylong gridlock in a virtual collapse of city’s traffic management system.
Hundreds of city service buses, private cars, lorries, three-wheelers and taxicabs haphazardly inching forward was the common picture across the city almost the whole day.

Thousands of commuters were trapped in the gridlocks without knowing when they could reach their destinations.

Met office recorded 85 millimetres rain in 12 hours yesterday, the heaviest downpour the city has experienced so far ahead of the monsoon.

A number of major thoroughfares as well as lanes and bi-lanes of the city were inundated as the drainage system has been clogged with dumped rubbish.

The sufferings of the commuters worsened as the road digging works of different utility service providers in different parts of the city interrupted smooth vehicular movement.

Roads around Gabtoli, Mohakhali and Sayedabad intercity bus terminals, major intersections at Jatrabari, Bijoy Sarani, Sonargaon Hotel, Bangla Motor and Hotel Sheraton, long stretch of Mirpur Road from Lalmatia to New Market, roads from Matsya Bhaban to Shahbagh and most roads at Dhanmondi were found choked up with vehicles in the afternoon.

“It took me two hours to come down from Gulshan to Karwan Bazar,” said Md Ashfaq Khan, a service holder.

From the footbridges at Farmgate and Shahbagh, bumper-to-bumper traffic was seen moving inch by inch on Kazi Nazrul Islam Avenue during the peak hours at 5:00pm.

The situation in the lanes and bi-lanes was even worse, as hundreds of rickshaws were stranded in queues.

At places, it took about two hours to commute just three to four kilometres of distance. Many left their vehicles on roads and started walking to their destinations braving the rain, as the congestion seemed to be never-ending.

“For nearly an hour, our bus stood still at Banani. I have never experienced anything like this before,” said Shamima, a service holder, who reached Karwan Bazar from Banani in the evening after two and half hours.

Students from schools, colleges and universities in different parts of the city found no way but to walk to their homes as they failed to get any transport.

Many did the same in the afternoon once the rain stopped after pouring for over three hours.

“I started from Shyamali and I found that the vehicles are at a complete standstill in the Manik Mia Avenue and Farmgate area,” said Md Al Mamun, who was heading for Shahbagh on foot at about 5:00pm.

The traffic situation seemed to improve a little after 8:00pm, with vehicular movement gaining momentum in the streets.

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