Staff Reporter :
Green activists on Saturday demanded introduction of a mass transport-oriented integrated communication system for the capital city to reduce traffic congestion.
They blamed increased private cars, haphazard car parking on roads, lack of mass transport stoppage, poor and analog traffic management, unplanned waste management by the twin city corporations and unavailability of integrated transportation system for massive traffic congestions in the city.
They also suggested mass awareness among city dwellers and drivers on the issue; introduction of railway-oriented mass transportation system and its implementation, proper management of road spaces, introduction of circular road and railways around the city and increase in water vehicles to popularise water ways around the city.
The suggestions came from a roundtable discussion on ‘Thousand Crore Taka Communication Projects: Increased Public Sufferings and Role of Government, What to Do’ organised by the Poribesh Bachao Andolan (POBA) at its head office in the city.
Chairman of POBA Abu Naser Khan presided the programme while its General Secretary Abdus Sobhan presented the keynote paper.
Joint Secretary of POBA Dr Lelin Chowdhury, Secretary Sayed Mahbubul Alam Tahin, Co-Secretary architect Shahin Aziz, MA Wahed and Nishat Mahmud also took part in the discussion.
The speakers also suggested that the government should collect information on passengers’ destinations, timing and mode of transport and thus design public transport routes to serve the dwellers.
A demand was also raised that the government limit gas supply for private cars from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm to decrease private cars on the road.
Abu Naser Khan pointed out that the transport system of the city was not designed prioritizing the city needs. Like developed countries, Bangladesh should lay emphasis on mass integrated transport system, he said.
“Travellers are losing valuable working hours, economic value of which is about Tk 30,000 crore a year,” Khan added.
“It is the demand of the city travellers for fast, safe and reliable transport system development, which can commute them to their destinations on time. Though the government has undertaken various costly projects for reduction of traffic congestions, the city dwellers are not getting benefit from those,” he added.
Abdus Sobhan underscored the need for popularising railways than road as mass transportation system in the cities and said the city transportation system is basically road-oriented.
“The mega city Dhaka with a population of around 2 crore people requires planned and dedicated transport system to cater to the needs of the travellers,” he said.
