Tackling Dhaka’s intractable traffic jams

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Shahed Shafiq
Published : 07:30, Jul 19, 2019 | Updated : 07:30, Jul 19, 2019

During the construction of Metro rail, traffic police made suggestions for allow cars on the road based on even and odd numbers. The suggestions also included making one way roads, reducing footpath to expand roads, making an underpass and arranging alternative routes.
But none of these proposals were implemented; however, rickshaws have been banned on two main roads. Urban specialists say that to control traffic jam, personal cars have to be controlled first. Due to the construction work of metro rail, several roads have shrunk, resulting in horrendous traffic jams.
To counter this, a proposal was made to start a diversion road from Farm Gate to Tejturi Bazaar upto Saat Rasta. Decisions were also taken to construct more foot over bridges and consider breaking footpaths to expand roads plus adoption of a traffic management plan.
Two plans were given; initially it was stated that small vehicles and three wheelers coming from Airport Road, Rokeya Sarani and Khamar Bari will use Tejgaon Station Road and Saat Rasta. Cars from Motiheel to Farm-gate will use Sonargaon Road, Bashundhara Road and Green Road to go to Farm Gate.
The second plan suggested turning Farmgate to Motijheel into one way.
DMP’s traffic west zone DC, Liton Kumar Saha, says: “to counter the pressure created by metro rail construction, foot over bridges should be used.”
Deputy director of Dhaka Mass Rapid Transit Development Project, Abdul Wadud, has said: “with more shuttle trains and connecting buses, pressure on traffic can be reduced.”
He also suggested even and odd number car days in Dhaka.
Professor Sarwar Jahan of the urban development division of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology, BUET, said: “a survey has shown that 60 to 65 per cent roads are occupied by personal vehicles; large areas of the road are occupied through illegal parking.”
Nasir Uddin Tarafdar traffic engineer of Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority, said: “by controlling rickshaws and increasing BRTC buses, traffic capacity needs to be increased.”
Meanwhile, MD of Dhaka Mass Transit Company Limited, M A Siddik, told Bangla Tribune: “we have adopted a traffic jam management plan and a discussion is currently underway.”
The city corporations of Dhaka also took decision to ban rickshaws on two major roads.
Dhaka South City Corporation, DSCC mayor, Sayeed Khokon, observed: “jams have increased since roads have constricted due to metro rail work; we are removing rickshaws from two roads for this but also need to control private cars.”
We may ask BRTA to suspend new car registration for three months, he added.

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