In a rather cramped up city where
every second inch acquired is wel
comed with applause by the general public and the ever increasing ‘traffic’, for whom easing the confined toes revolve around ‘one-way’ and ‘no-entry’ signage, a significant breather can come by the little ‘interior designing’ in and around the city rather than the promise of beautifying the whole landscape.
Laitumkhrah point or rather the ‘mini-Khyndai Lad’ of this city witnesses major traffic jams throughout the day which normally come up for discussions at tea-time debates.
With the centralization of major institutes here, negotiating traffic at certain times of the day becomes nothing more than shoving an elephant through a needle hole.
But amidst all these sweating, there lies with pomp and gaiety, a ‘presidential fleet’ of local cabs right in their territory of parking, in open display but never questioned thus far.
The famed Police Point is home to one of the oldest taxi stands of this area whose location needs a serious rethinking. With spaces limited to an extent where a flyover’s foundation will require demolition of an institute, alternatives of ‘shifting a sofa to walk around’ needs to be considered.
At peak traffic hours where movement is limited to footsteps rather than strides, the taxi stand vividly occupies a major portion of the limited road space. Adding to the woes, ‘Police Point’ is a major embarkation and disembarkation zone. Sliding past this, cars are to manoeuvre away, skilfully, both from the ‘Taxi Stop’ and the ‘Taxi Stand’.
Two-way traffic can surely be eased provided the taxi stand is relocated to a different spot. One viable option is relocating the parking stand to the parking lot above the Laitumkhrah market complex, as these cabs are operational on a purely ‘reserved’ basis.
This would undeniably raise eyebrow among the private car owner, but they should note that the best bargain is always not possible.
One can’t get to drive in fourth gear around the town and demand a halting zone at the same time! But with proper arrangements being made, significant parking spots can be defined for both local cabs and private vehicles alike.
With a mammoth transformer and a taxi stand harbouring a minimum of twenty cabs, located right on the middle of the road, the administration should look at reconstructing layouts rather than flashing colossal dreams of automatic street lights, subways and trams!
The concept of beautification needs to be broadened. It’s not all about having a towering ‘dysfunctional’ fountain surrounded by greenery but the expression of “Ah! Beautiful” can be acquired by regulated, systematic and clean flow of traffic in the streets.
Would anyone take note? (By Nawaz Yasin Islam)