Ctg flyovers unplanned

The construction of flyovers in Chittagong city is nothing but wastage of huge money, as the projects have already proved to be useless, ineffective and economically unfeasible for the city, experts said yesterday.
Terming the projects unplanned and unnecessary, they claimed the projects, taken by the Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) neglecting Chittagong city Master Plan formed in 1995 and without doing feasibility study, will bring no good for the dwellers.  
The already constructed flyovers have not only failed to solve gridlocks but also increased commuters' sufferings, they observed, blaming CDA for not taking opinions from experts.
Leaders of the Forum for Planned Chittagong (FPC) -- a platform comprising architects, urban planners and professionals -- made the observations at a press conference in Chittagong Press Club.
Construction of a flyover at an intersection is usually required when over 8,500 motor vehicles cross that junction in an hour, said FPC Executive Vice President Engineer Subhash Barua, an urban planner, while reading out a written statement.
He mentioned that the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) in its traffic counting in September 2008 found only 2,790 motorised vehicles crossing Bahadderhat intersection in an hour, 2,770 in Muradpur, while the number was 4,904 in GEC junction.  
Construction of flyover in Bahadderhat has proved to be useless as very few vehicles are using it, he said.
Neglecting the reality, CDA on May 15 floated tender for construction of a 5.2-km flyover stretching from Muradpur to Lalkhanbazar, which will also be of no use in solving traffic congestion, he observed.
He added that traffic congestion and transport crisis in the city would be solved through proper and planned traffic management.
FPC President Prof Sikander Khan said these projects were taken aiming to please the voters ignoring the necessity.
Contacted CDA Chairman Abdus Salam said the flyover at Bahadderhat had solved traffic congestion there, and people of Bahadderhat, Bakalia and southern districts of Chittagong were benefitted from it.
Terming FPC's allegation of 'not doing feasibility study' baseless, Salam said proper feasibility studies were done by consultant firms before every construction.