The only solution
TRANSPORT is the lifeline of a city, and choices on public transit options are fundamental decisions which affect a city's future growth and development. The selection of an appropriate mass rapid transit (MRT) system is crucial, not only for creating a transit-friendly city where the urban poor have affordable and hassle-free access to transportation, but also for securing long term advances.
Though Dhaka is one of the least motorised cities in the world, its traffic congestion is one of the highest. Unplanned urbanisation, poor transportation planning, and lower land utilisation efficiency has turned the city into a dangerous urban jungle.
In a new report of the Economist Intelligence Unit, it has been ranked the world's second least livable city, ahead of only Harare. Although Dhaka's area is less than 1 percent of the country's total land area, it supports about 10 percent of the total population and 30 percent of the total urban population.
During the last four decades, Dhaka has recorded phenomenal growth in population and area. It is presently one of the ten largest mega-cities of the world with a population of about 14 million and the highest annual growth rate and is expected to be the second largest city of the world with a population of 22.8 million by 2015.
The rapid rise in population along with increased and versatile urban land use patterns has generated considerable travel demand as well as numerous transport problems in Dhaka city. It has resulted in deterioration in accessibility, level of service, safety, comfort, operational efficiency and urban environment.
Bangladesh witnessed rapid growth of transport since independence in 1971. The overall annual growth rate is nearly 8.2 percent for freight transport and 8.4 percent for passenger transport. During this period, over $40 billion has been invested in the transport sector. The energy-intensive road sector, in particular, has attracted the lion's share of the allocation, far exceeding investments in other modes.
Currently, about 90 percent of transport sector budgetary allocation is for road sector development. Consequently, roadway inventory and number of vehicles has been registering a very high growth rate. During 1985-1993, the volume of road traffic increased by 88 percent whereas the volume of water and rail traffic declined in almost equal proportion.
For the full version of this article please read this month's Forum, available free with The Daily Star on March 8.
Md. Saidur Rahman is a Deputy Project Director, World Bank Funded TA Project, Bangladesh Railway, Rail Bhaban, Dhaka.
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