Commuters suffer a lot

Desk Report
The sudden suspension of water taxi service at Hatirjheel lake has created great inconvenience for the commuters who uses the service regularly to avoid nagging traffic congestion on roads.
The authorities said they have suspended the service from October 22 for repairing the water taxis.
“We’ve 15 water taxies but all of them need repairs. That’s why, we’ve suspended our service for some days,” Mohammad, boat operation manager of Hatijheel project, told the daily sun.
The water taxis ferry passengers to and from Gulshan 1, FDC intersection, Rampura bridge, Moghbazar, Banglamotor and Begunbari.
There is a notice at every landing station and ticket counter saying the water taxi service will remain suspended from September 22 to October 4 due to repair works and maintenance of the water vehicles.
The paddle boat service will, however, continue from Badda, said the Hatirjheel project authorities, expressing sorry for the temporary disturbance.
Hatirjheel water taxi service has become popular among city residents due mainly to its cheaper fare and traffic jam on city roads. The temporary suspension of the water taxi service has made the holidaymakers, who flock to the place at weekend, unhappy too.
During a visit, the daily sun correspondent found no water
vessels in operation while ticket masters were seen gossiping near counters.
Talking to the daily sun, Md Sobuj, a ticket master of the water taxi service, said, “We’re requesting commuters to come on October 5 for the service. We’re now providing tickets for paddle boat service.”
A good number of people come to get the water taxi service every day, he added.
Another staff said, “The holidaymakers particularly visit our stations on Friday as it is a public holiday. But now they are not getting our service.”
“We’re now doing piling work of the lake banks that got damaged by waves created by water taxis,” Mohammad said, expressing the hope that the water taxi service will resume on October 5.