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No early end to snarl: CPA chief

Nazimuddin Shyamol | July 21, 2019 00:00:00


CHATTOGRAM, July 20: Chairman of Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) Rear Admiral Zulfiquar Aziz sees no end to the gridlock problem on roads in and around Chittagong Port before the underconstruction Bay Termibal is built and opened for use.

Talking to the FE in the port city on Saturday, CPA chief Rear Admiral Zulfiquar Aziz said the traffic congestion in Chittagong Port area will not be solved before construction of the Bay Terminal.

"Traffic congestions will not be on the roads after completing of construction of the Bay Terminal (project) which will also contain a truck terminal where lorries/trucks and covered vans will wait for completion of loading and unloading work before leaving for their respective destinations," he said.

The construction work of the Bay Terminal and the truck terminal, which started last year, is scheduled to to be completed in 2022.

He turned down the claim the the Chittagong Port is responsible for the traffic jam prevailing in and around it. "Chittagong Port is not liable for the prevailing traffic congestion. The present traffic congestion has been created for construction of elevated expressway of Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) and pipeline work of Chattogram WASA and also the rough weather in the first weeks of the current month," he said.

"Unfortunately, some newspapers and (other) media published news on traffic congestion blaming the CPA. But, controlling the traffic congestion is the job of police CDA and (Chattogram) City Corporation," he asserted.

"During the monsoon rain of two weeks in the current month, many ditches were created on the roads and the condition of the (rundown) roads in Chattogram is getting worse. So, vehicles cannot move on the roads, resulting in creation of (severe) traffic congestion," said the CPA chief.

Mentioning that the CPA handled more containers earlier than now he said the port handled 5600 TEUs containers in May month when there was no unbearable traffic jam on the roads.

"But, on July 12, CPA handled 4800 TEUs containers with severe traffic congestion, created because of mismanagement of traffic department of Chattogram Metropolitan Police and the worst condition of roads caused by rains," he alleged.

He stated that a total of 7,000 trucks, covered vans, lorries and trailors use to enter in the port. According to the ISPS code, the drivers and helpers of the vehicles should take pass from the CPA to ensure the identity of them. "We are preparing a data base in this connection," he informed.

He said 32,769 drivers and helpers have already been included in the data base and a total of 29,769 drivers and helpers already got passes. "We are discouraging the entry of adolescent aged (13 to 15 years) helpers of vehicles at the port. Besides, we have completed data base of all 17 off docks in Chattogram," he further stated.

He said the CPA will open more booths for data base and issuing passes.

Presently, around 5,000 trucks use to wait at the port gates for entrance from 10am to 6pm every day, he noted, saying sometimes, the drivers and helpers cannot show the proper documents, including NID or C & F slips, causing the delay of issuing passes, he said.

"But it is not the cause of traffic congestion," he mentioned.

He said it was urgent to immediately complete the construction of ring roads - one from Agrabad Access Road to EPZ Road and another from GEC to Embankment Road.

He believed that after completion of the work on ring roads, the traffic congestion will decrease remarkably.

He also informed that the CPA had given proposal to handover the Toll Road to it. "We are working to start waterway from Sadarghat to Chattogram Airport for reducing the traffic congestion. Since there is no immediate solution of traffic congestion here in the port city as the handling of containers and cargoes is increasing day by day, we are starting the waterway from September or October in the current year as an alternative solution," he added.

He stressed on coordination of Chattogram City Corporation, CMP, CDA and WASA for ending the long-standing gridlock problem.

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