<i>DMP has only 13 run-down tow trucks to tackle trouble</i>

A tow truck of DMP. Photo: STAR

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has only 13 run-down tow trucks for handling any trouble with about 10 lakh vehicles in the capital city.
Vehicles going out of order in the middle of the road after an accident or for any other reason often wait for hours for a tow truck but the police cannot help them.
In absence of proper towing service, traffic congestion and public sufferings increase due to damaged or disordered vehicles standing in the busy roads.
The problem becomes acute in the rainy season when vehicles often go out of order in the waterlogged roads, blocking the movement of other vehicles.
Bibek Das, owner of a car, shared his experience with Star City. His car went out of order in the waterlogged Bijoy Sarani recently as water entered the engine.
Bibek said when the car stopped suddenly on the road, he, standing in the dirty water, tried to push it towards the edge of the road to clear way for other vehicles. In the meantime a long queue of vehicles created a huge congestion behind him.
“I didn't call the police because I know they will not help me promptly and properly,” said Bibek adding, “I know the condition DMP two trucks. My car would be damaged further if a DMP tow truck pulls it. Besides, there is a tow charge.”
A traffic sergeant at the spot called a tow truck to clear the road but it was busy at another spot. He said at least 50 vehicles arrive at the spot in every minute and such road-block by disordered vehicles often leads to serious traffic jam.
Car owners said the city must have a proper towing service because of the little road space it has. Moreover, a large number of unfit and faulty vehicles run in the city.
A policeman on duty with a towing car at Farmgate said sometimes traffic situation goes out of control in the rainy days due to large number of disordered cars.
Among the 13 tow trucks, DMP owns only four and the rest are hired from private owners. Most of these vehicles have crossed their lifespan.
“We cannot tow big vehicles using this old wreckers. Worn out hooks of these tow trucks also damage small vehicles,” said a DMP official.
Police tow the vehicles that face an accident or the buses that block roads. For towing once, police collect Tk 1200 for big vehicles and Tk 800 for small vehicles.
Jashim Uddin, joint commissioner of DMP and chief of the traffic wing, said at least 30 types of vehicles are plying the city streets and it is not easy to handle the huge number of vehicles with the available towing service.
He said DMP is trying to procure four small tow trucks from Japan.
A car owner suggested that the towing service should be privatised so that they do not have to depend on the police during emergency.
“If we want to have a proper and easily available towing service, private firms should be involved. This will also reduce cost of removing a car,” he said.