Road woes on the Beribadh
Faizul A Tanim
Most roads in old Dhaka are in such a deplorable state that residents fear they will become unusable in near future unless repair work is done immediately. The 'Beribadh road' or the embankment road from Babu Bazar to Shoriya Ghat is a prime example of lack of maintenace. Large potholes resulting from stagnant water and heavy rainfall and movement of heavy vehicles has left it in a horrendous condition. Accidents are frequent on that stretch of road. "I have seen at least four to five accidents within the past week, " said Abdur Rahman, a local tea stall owner. Rickshaws often get stuck or turn over after falling into the holes. Local people said that after the recent heavy downpour, water ate away the bitumen layers of the roads and made the carpeting slack. Now, when heavy vehicles like trucks and buses pass over, the road gradually disintegrates. Traffic congestion is another common problem. Motor vehicles that needed 15-20 minutes to pass now take more than half an hour. Easy movement of traffic is extremely important on that particular road as most medical facilities like hospitals, clinics and medicine shops are located around that area near Mitford gate. There are some ten hospitals and clinics there and in case of emergency, old Dhaka residents rush there. Jahan Ahmed, a medicine shop staff said he has seen an old man die on the road as the ambulance carrying him got stuck in a traffic jam. Most roads and alleys in Babu Bazar, Noya Bazar, Mitford, Armanitola do not have covers on manholes. Some holes can be found covered with loose bricks and mud with a red cloth tied to a bamboo warning the public of the danger. The residents themselves took these measures as repeated complaints to local ward commissioners fell on deaf ears. Almost all of these manholes are 20-30 feet deep and pose grave risks for pedestrians and vehicles especially when the roads get submerged after a rain. The embankment road, which is connected to Gabtoli, is a focal point for business. Businesspersons of old Dhaka said they experience around forty percent loss when it rains. Rain means more traffic jams and goods are damaged and transportation delayed due to accidents. Trucks and lorries get stuck and have to wait in long queues on that damaged road. Residents and businessmen also complained that truck drivers bribe the traffic police and move freely on the road during daytime which is prohibited by law. This also causes damage to the road and creates traffic chaos.
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