In a letter last week of September, it asked the Dhaka Transport Coordination Board (DTCB) to reconstruct the rundown road from Mohakhali to Kakali.

The traffic department said scores of potholes riddle the road, leading to immense sufferings of the commuters.

Upon receipt of the letter, the DTCB has asked the Roads and Highway Department (RHD) and Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) -- the two implementing departments for repairing roads and footpaths -- to fix the stretch of the road.

"We have asked the Roads and Highway Department and the DCC to construct the road as early as possible. The condition of the road is really bad," said Quamrul Islam Siddiqui, executive director of the DTCB.

The RHD was supposed to repair the road in the Mohakhali flyover area and the DCC to maintain the roads and footpaths up to Mohakhali area from the flyover end. The responsibility of the DTCB was to co-ordinate and supervise their work.

The road between the two intersections has been run down for more than a year, decreasing vehicle speed and creating traffic chaos. The flyover project started in December 2001 and is scheduled to end in next June. However, most of the flyover construction remains incomplete.

At the Mohakhali intersection, the road has been reduced to a mere lane due to the construction of the flyover and people have been forced to walk down the main corridor as the footpath was very narrow and poorly maintained.

During the rush hours, it generally takes around half an hour to go about one kilometre distance from Mohakhali Rail Crossing to Kakali intersection. The traders have occupied the whole walkway of the area.

The chief engineer of the DCC, supposed to maintain the walkway, could not be reached.