Capital traffic grinds to halt due to potholed Gazipur roads
Starting at noon, the congestion lasted for several hours
The capital on Tuesday suffered severe traffic congestion for several hours, mainly due to the dilapidated condition of roads in Gazipur which worsened amid the rainfall for the last two days.
Starting at Uttara at noon, the congestion spread to different parts of the capital including Mirpur, Banani, Gulshan, and Badda and lasted for several hours.
Though the traffic jam eased in some areas, slow-moving traffic was a feature of the majority of the areas till filing of this report at 8pm.
Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel
A commuter, Ashraful Islam, on a Facebook post said it took him two hours by bus to reach Jashim Uddin bus stand from Notun Bazar.
"I could not cross Gulshan circle even in an hour in the evening, after starting from Gulshan-1," said another commuter, Fariha Fairuz.
Contacted, Badrul Hasan, additional deputy commissioner of Uttara traffic zone, said all the roads of Gazipur's Board Bazar, Mirer Bazar and other areas were damaged. As a result, vehicles could not move at normal speeds. Besides, vehicle damage owing to the road condition also contributed to the congestion.
"We struggled to bring the jam under control," he told the Business Standard.
Assistant Commissioner of Gulshan traffic zone Mostafizur Rahaman said the traffic pressure was on the rise on Airport Road since the afternoon. As Gazipur roads were gridlocked, the congestion spread to a 20-kilometre radius.
Gazipur Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Abdullah Al Mamun told The Business Standard, "A huge number of small and large potholes appeared on Gazipur roads. Vehicular movement remained almost stopped from Tongi Station Road to Cherag Ali point, which triggered traffic congestion for Dhaka inbound and outbound transports on the road.
