Gabtoli tailgate free by Dec 31

With the New Year approaching, the mayors of Dhaka north and south city corporations worked out some commendable plans to make the capital a better place for living.

The road in front of the capital's Gabtoli bus terminal would be freed from traffic congestion by December 30, the mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation said yesterday.

While visiting the crowded inter-district terminal and nearby Aminbazar truck stand, Annisul Huq talked to leaders of transport owners and workers' associations, and they committed to helping authorities free the main road of illegal parking by December 29, said officials.   

After freeing Mohakhali bus terminal and Tejgaon truck stand of illegal parking, the mayor now wants to see Gabtoli terminal free, said DNCC public relations officer Md Monowar Hossain.

The spacious Gabtoli road remains perennially plagued with traffic mess due to on-street parking, he said.   

"We will arrange a visit to the site after the December 29 deadline to see improvement," he said. "In case, the road is not freed amiably as pledged by the transport operators, we may have to go for an eviction drive, as it was required in case of Tejgaon truck stand."

DNCC had to resort to an eviction drive to free Tejgaon truck stand, as several negotiated deadlines failed.   

The mayor himself led the November 29 drive against illegal structures and parking to ensure smooth traffic movement on the road between Satrasta intersection and Karwan Bazar.

The drive, however, faced the transport workers' wrath, as several hundred transport workers went berserk and fought pitched battles with police during the drive.

The road was formally declared free of illegal occupation on December 10.