Adopt integrated transport policy to ease gridlock

Engineer Nimai Ganguly speaks at a discussion at Mukti Bhaban in the city yesterday. On his left are engineer Sarder Amin and CPB President Manzurul Ahsan Khan and on his right is Mahbub Alam.Photo: STAR

Speakers at a discussion yesterday called on the government to adopt an integrated transport policy coordinating rail, road and waterway transportation systems inside and outside Dhaka city for removing its intolerable gridlock.
“Economic activities will have to be spread out from the city to other parts of the country through decentralisation of power so that people from different areas do not to come here for employments. Political decisions will have to be taken for this purpose,” they added.
The speakers said this at a discussion on 'What are the ways for removing increasing traffic jam problems of Dhaka city' organised by Engineers' Forum of Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) in the city.
Presided over by engineer Nimai Ganguly, the meeting was addressed by CPB President Manzurul Ahsan Khan, CPB leaders Ruhin Hossain Prince and NK Rasheda, urban planner Abdul Wadud Nayan, architect Anisuddin Iqbal, engineer Sarder Amin and labour leader Osman Ali.
CPB president said import of private cars, which are causing severe traffic jam in the cities, would have to be prohibited in order to reduce gridlock.
“There is only 8 percent of the total space of the city for roads in place of required 25 percent. In this situation, many thoroughfares, including footpaths of the city, remain occupied by private cars and construction materials creating severe jam during pick hours, he added.
He further said normal people walking on foots face different problems in moving for their daily works.”
He demanded the government must take steps to force drivers and traffic sergeants to strictly follow the traffic rules and to train the rickshaw-van pullers to bring discipline in the traffic system.
Manzurul Ahsan said, “The roads and footpaths of the city will have to be kept free from occupation by private cars and construction materials. The grabbed and filled rivers and canals in the city will have to be recovered and restored in order to make the city's environment congenial for its residents.”
The speakers further said the number of public cars would have to be increased and use of private cars be reduced for solving the congestion problem in the city.