Homebound passengers still suffer
Commuters suffer every Eid, making their way home for the holidays. Before Eid, the ministers and leaders invariably assure the people that this time travel will be smooth and hassle-free, but things prove to be quite the opposite. Those who travel by road suffer the most.
Roads in a state of total disrepair are the main cause of passenger woes. Accidents occur. About 100 km of the highways are full of ruts and potholes. According to media reports, makeshift repairs had been carried out during Eid-ul Fitr just two months ago, but things are now back to how they were. Why should the roads be in such a poor state if repairs were carried out just over two months ago? The people responsible for this state of the roads are not being held responsible. There are no signs of any inquiry into the matter either. There are ample reasons for such hurried repairs not to last long.
According to official reports of May this year, over26 per cent of three types of roads in the country are in a bad shape. We can add to this, 500 thousand unfit vehicles and 1.6 million drivers with fake license. And none of the 52 recommendations made by the special committee for prevention of accidents has been implemented. This depicts an alarming picture of the state of road transport. There is no doubt of the dire situation of travel during Eid.
The road transport and bridges ministry could not deny the bad state of the roads. They said that it was not only the responsibility of the road transport ministry to look after the roads. That may be true, but there is a parliamentary system of government in the country. There is hardly scope to evaluate the success or failure of each ministry separately. But if the two top level committees for road safety and transport are in the hands of one single person, naturally people will look towards him.
It is true that there is an exponential increase in the volume of commuters during Eid. This pressure can be alleviated somewhat by increasing the number of trains. But as the travel back home begins, we observe in dismay how the passengers have been suffering. While buses have been increased by both government and private sectors, this has not been adequate to meet the burgeoning number of travellers.
As always, this time too the minister for road transport and bridges had assured everyone that travel will be comfortable this time. But we see interminable jams on the highways which have exacerbated the passengers’ sufferings manifold. They have to wait for hours for the ferry to cross the river Padma. Extra ferries would have made things easier. This is the responsibility of the shipping ministry and the road transport ministry could have asked for their cooperation.
While the passengers may not be able to travel home for Eid without a hitch, we hope the concerned authorities take certain practical and immediate measures to lessen the sufferings of the people going home to celebrate Eid.