Severe traffic congestion across the capital due to Metrorail closure

Staff Correspondent

Thousands of commuters and office-goers have been facing extreme hardship since Monday morning as train services from Agargaon to Motijheel have been suspended after a Metrorail bearing pad fell off in the capital’s Farmgate area, killing a pedestrian. Heavy traffic jams were seen on busy roads of the capital during office hours in the morning.

After the accident, Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited (DMTCL) started emergency repair work. A section of the road from Khezur Bagan to Farmgate was partially closed since morning due to repair of the railway line in the Farmgate area. This caused traffic jams to spread to Manik Mia Avenue, Farmgate, Sonargaon, Rainbow, Bijoy Sarani, Urojahaz More and Agargaon.

Tejgaon Traffic Department officials said that due to the closure of the metro rail, ordinary people are using buses, auto-rickshaws and motorcycles as alternative transport. This has increased the pressure of vehicles on the road and exacerbated the traffic congestion.

Meanwhile, a large lorry broke down in the Rainbow Crossing area, disrupting the movement of vehicles coming off the elevated expressway. As a result, traffic congestion persisted in that area for a long time.

On the other hand, due to processions and gatherings in the Lake Road area on the occasion of the Jubo Dal’s founding anniversary, the roads were overcrowded. As a large number of leaders and workers gathered in the area on foot and in pickup trucks, traffic movement was further disrupted.

To ease the suffering of the people, the Tejgaon Traffic Department has introduced an alternative diversion on the western side of Manik Mia Avenue. Officials of the department said that they are making maximum efforts to control the traffic congestion.

It is worth noting that the Metrorail, one of the successful projects implemented during the Awami League government, has now opened a new horizon in the capital’s public transport system. However, due to this sudden accident and repair work, it has had a severe impact on the entire capital today, which has caused major disruptions in the daily lives of the city’s residents.