Illegal easy bikes keep plying Ctg city streets

Hundreds of battery-run auto-rickshaws, popularly known as easy bikes, are plying the Chittagong city streets illegally, causing traffic congestion and sufferings to the dwellers.

As a result, MA Aziz Road in the south portion of the city -- which is frequented by airport goers, workers of Chittagong and Karnaphuli export processing zones, Patenga beach visitors, and numerous container carriers -- are crammed with vehicles every day.

“Most often traffic jam occurs on different spots as the easy bikes take and drop passengers in the middle of the road. Besides, they often block half the road,” said truck driver Mohammad Alauddin, who usually drives from Airport Road to MA Aziz Road.

Because of the vehicles, accidents take place often, said many bus drivers.

A five-year-old boy, Md Momin, was killed as an auto-rickshaw hit him on the road in Steel Mill area on May 30 this year.

Locals said such vehicles started plying the busy road in the early 2012.

There is no official information about the total number of those. But according to the vehicle owners and drivers, over the years the number reached to around 1,500 till 2015.

But the number reduced after law enforcers took action earlier this year, said some drivers of the auto-rickshaws.

“Many easy bike owners sold their vehicles and currently the number of vehicles can be less than 1,000 on MA Aziz road and different branch roads,” said Mohammed Shahjahan, an easy bike driver.

Presently, the easy bikes are also being operated from Katgar to Razarpukur, Nazirpara, Muslimabad, Steel Mill to Khejurtola, and Khalpar areas.

Traffic Inspector Jashim Uddin of Chittagong Metropolitan Police (Patenga zone) said the operations of easy bikes were completely illegal.

Following their action, they could not ply the main roads, he claimed.

When asked that this correspondent, during a visit, found many battery-run auto-rickshaws on main roads, he replied, “Some vehicles might ply dodging us. Whenever we see, we seize those.”