Traffic jam in Ctg: Flyovers, expressway not the solution

Leaders of Forum for Planned Chittagong (FPC), a civil society organisation that advocates for planned development of the port city, at a press conference yesterday said emphasis on introducing mass rapid transport system should be made to ease sufferings of commuters.

The press conference was held at Chattogram Press Club where architect Zarina Hossain, general secretary of the forum, read out a paper.

Private vehicles should be discouraged and controlled in the city, Zarina said, adding that the main focus of transport system should be on facilitating disciplined footpaths and access to public transport.

Around 83 percent residents of Chattogram city do not have access to private vehicles and around 70 percent commuters get to their destinations fully or partially on foot, she said.

The commute, however, is far from smooth for pedestrians, as many roads do not have proper footpaths, and the existing footpaths are illegally occupied, she added.

Construction of flyovers to ease traffic jam is “unplanned” and “unrealistic”; they could not ease traffic jam in Dhaka, she said.

Chattogram is a populous city with industries and the port. So a huge number of workers have to use city roads every day. There is no scope for giving preference to private vehicles that occupy the lion's share of the roads but do not carry majority of the commuters.

Chairman of Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) announced that an expressway would be constructed from Lalkhan Bazar to the airport, said Zarina. The expressway would be constructed so that VIPs and CIPs can reach the airport quickly, she argued.

The expressway would be constructed at the cost of Tk 2,800 crore only for the use of around 200 VIPs and CIPs, she claimed, adding that the number of air passengers in Chattogram is around 4,500 per day at present.

“We do not know whether there is any recommendation for constructing the expressway in the city strategic master plan. We do not even know whether the feasibility study in this regard was made available to the public,” she said.

“The argument and statement of the CDA chairman for constructing the expressway is against the democratic culture and the constitution of Bangladesh. As per section 19 (1) of the constitution, the state would ensure equal opportunity for every citizen,” she said.

She demanded to make the city development philosophy inclusive instead of “exclusive” and also demanded to ensure the 100 percent utilisation of existing roads.

President of FPC, Prof Sikander Khan; Vice President Engr Subhash Barua; Engr Delwar Majumder and Engr Bidhan Barua were present, among others, at the press conference.