Bringing Discipline on Dhaka Roads: Parking policy in the offing
To stop haphazard parking of vehicles, reduce traffic congestion and bringing discipline on roads in the capital and its adjacent areas, the government is going to enact a parking policy.
Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) has already prepared a draft and uploaded it on its website, seeking further opinions.
“We have prepared the draft in consultation with stakeholders and will accommodate further opinions from them, if there’s any. We will then send it to the [Road Transport and Bridges] ministry,” DTCA Executive Director Khandakar Rakibur Rahman told this correspondent on Thursday.
He also expected that an inter-ministerial meeting would finalise the draft before sending it for the cabinet’s approval.
The move comes amid an acute crisis of parking space in the city, with only a handful of commercial buildings and markets having spaces designated for parking.
For city buses, there is no designated parking space or terminal. Many vehicles remain parked on roads, resulting in gridlocks.
Besides, the new law -- Road Transport Act 2018 -- stipulates Tk 5,000 fine for parking or picking up and dropping off passengers or goods at any place other than designated for the purpose.
“With the increase of vehicles in Dhaka, tendency to park vehicles haphazardly has increased alarmingly,” reads the introduction of the draft policy.
The policy is going to be introduced to solve traffic congestion by developing parking management, modernisation and upgradation of the parking system with coordinated implementation and bringing discipline by charging fees, the draft added.
However, Iqbal Habib, a prominent urban designer, said the policy would not bring much benefit unless Bangladesh National Building Code and Dhaka Imarat Nirman Bidhimala are implemented properly.
As per those rules, all residential and commercial buildings, educational institutions and offices must have parking facilities as per the nature of occupancy of those buildings, which are largely ignored, Habib told The Daily Star recently.
“Besides, those designated parking lots earmarked under Detail Area Plan (DAP)-2010 for Dhaka have to be recovered first and used properly,” he said.
Habib said the authorities concerned can prepare area-based and time-based policies for parking. “But without ensuring proper implementation of the existing rules and plans, formulation of a policy would not reap much benefit,” Habib feared.
Asked, Khandakar Rakibur said those rules would be a part of the policy.
Zakir Hossain Mazumder, additional executive director of DTCA, said, “We need a policy for proper coordination among the agencies including city corporations and police -- who would be dealing with parking issues.”
Mofiz Uddin Ahmed, additional commissioner (traffic) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, welcomed the move of enacting a policy for parking. He said DTCA has approved 64 parking spots after DMP has initially proposed 68 places for on-street parking.
“Facilities have to be ensured before taking action against illegal parking. This policy will help us in this regard,” he added.
WHAT THE DRAFT POLICY SAYS
As per the draft, Rajuk, Dhaka south and north city corporations and other local bodies will determine the demand for parking, identify places and get approval from DTCA.
Local and branch roads can be used for parking; time-bound parking system can be introduced; and fees can be charged for parking, reads the draft.
Local authorities can give permission for parking on designated roads for buses, trucks, covered vans and lorries at nighttime. Multi-level parking lots can be considered for densely-populated, commercial and busy administrative areas.
A committee comprising representatives from the DTCA, city corporations, police, local administrations and transport experts will take decision “on-street parking”.
Local administration will be entrusted with conducting and maintaining parking facilities and if necessary, they can appoint private entities for that purpose.
They will also set parking fees considering place, timing (peak, off-peak, weekday and weekend), type of vehicles, security and other facilities.
Fees for on-street parking will be higher than off-street parking and pre-paid card for paying the fee would be encouraged. A 30-minute slot can be set for on-street parking.
All types of parking and lease fees as well as fines would be accumulated in the account of local administration and can be used for development of parking system.
Local administration and police will implement the system, with the coordination and approval of DTCA.
DTCA was established on September 2, 2012, to prepare strategic transport plans, provide regular supervision, and coordinate all possible planning for transportation infrastructure development within Dhaka and adjacent districts.