Slack coordination worsens traffic mess
High officials of half a dozen government agencies responsible for the city's traffic management have attributed their failure to control the perennial traffic mess to lack of manpower, logistic support and coordination.
However, the city dwellers allege that corrupt practices by the authorities are also working behind the failure. A top official wishing anonymity also said the government agencies cannot act accordingly because of corruption.
Dhaka Transport Coordination Board (DTCB), Traffic Department of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (Rajuk), Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) and Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) are responsible for traffic management of the mega city.
Transport experts say lack of a coordinated transport planning, negligence of authorities concerned, occupying roads and footpaths are among the main reasons behind the traffic gridlocks.
DTCB Additional Executive Director SM Salehuddin said, “It (DTCB) is a toothless agency in terms of authority and manpower.” He said lack of proper coordination in traffic management system is undoubtedly a foremost reason behind the tailbacks.
BRTA Assistant Director Mohammad Shahidullah said one hundred vehicles on an average get registration every day in Dhaka meaning around 36,000 vehicles come on the city roads in a year.
Rahmatullah, a policy adviser of transport sector management reform of the planning commission, said the agencies responsible for traffic management have to deliver their duties accordingly.
The government must introduce an effective and quality public transport system for mass transit to find a way out of the situation, said Rahmatullah, who also worked as an expert of strategic transport planning.
He regretted that none of the experts' recommendations made in this regard has so far been implemented.
Ever increasing number of vehicles in uncoordinated manner and illegal occupancy of roads and footpaths with parking in front of big commercial establishments, vendors and construction materials create obstructions to public movement, experts said.
It is the duty of the DCC to keep the city footpaths free from obstruction while the DMP will keep the thoroughfares free for smooth traffic movement and the Rajuk will punish errant builders who have no required parking facilities.
DCC Chief Executive Officer Md Nurul Haq said the Dhaka city corporation does not have any designated officials for traffic management or traffic police.
“We have approved posts for only two magistrates while we need at least ten magistrates to carry out frequent drives against illegal occupancy of footpaths and roads.”
Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka said the city corporation requires traffic police department at its disposal to deliver its duty in traffic management.
“We requested consecutive governments either to assign the traffic police department under the Dhaka City Corporation or authorise it to form a similar force,” said Khoka, “But none of the governments had addressed the issue.”
Rajuk Chairman Md Nurul Huda said they do not have adequate manpower to enforce the Building Construction Act, pointing finger at other relevant agencies that they too do not enforce the law accordingly.
Joint Commissioner (Traffic) of DMP Md Shafiqur Rahman said most of the influential motor vehicle owners flout laws and indulge in violation of traffic rules and wrong parking.
“We cannot always enforce the law equally,” he said adding, “Though police are supposed to sue the offenders at once for illegal parking.”
Traffic police officials said they do not have adequate number of wreckers nor dumping grounds to remove thousands of illegally parked vehicles.
It has only six wreckers, 1,500 manpower against 2,002 approved posts while 440 sergeants against approved 600 posts, said the joint commissioner (traffic).
Besides police cannot act accordingly in the areas like Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara and Dhanmondi as most of the offenders are influential persons, sources said.
Chief Town Planner of DCC Sirajul Islam said, “It is the duty of Dhaka City Corporation to free footpaths from illegal occupancy but they cannot constantly do that for lack of adequate manpower.”
Shafiqur Rahman said he did not find any justification for the DCC's move to lease out a number of city roads for commercial car parking.
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