Mega plan to ease traffic jam in city

The government has taken various steps, including introduction of bus route franchise (BRF) with auto ticketing system, to solve traffic congestion in the capital, Communications Minister Syed Abul Hossain told the House yesterday.
“Applying the BRF system, a bus service would be introduced from city's Uttara to Azimpur within a few days,” he said.
Replying to a query of ruling party lawmaker Kazi Keramat Ali, the minister said 40 air-conditioned (AC) and 60 non-AC buses will operate every day on the route.
Abul Hossain said survey of building the first line of subway (from Uttara to Jatrabari) will start soon and tender would be floated to construct the subway after completion of the survey.
“As part of making a digital Bangladesh, auto ticketing system would be introduced for the first time in country's transport history,” he said.
Revealing the government's plan to reduce traffic jam, the communications minister said, “Survey to build subway and expressways will begin soon and work will start soon after completion of the survey.”
“Like any other developed city in the world, special bus service will be introduced inside the dedicated lane applying the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system,” he said.
In reply to a query of another ruling party lawmaker, Abul Hossain said tender will be floated to build a subway in the city on the basis of build-operate-transfer (BOT) after completion of the survey and work will begin after finding suitable private entrepreneur.
The minister also said that construction of three expressways in the city will be completed within three years as per the Strategic Transport Planning (STP).
He said survey and construction work of east-west by-pass with east-west connecting road; flyover and expressways are starting as per the STP.
“Rajuk, Dhaka City Corporation (DCC) and Dhaka Transport Coordination Board (DTCB) are working jointly before approving any new building, roads and housing project and therefore no parking will take place in front of houses, shops, markets and recreation centres,” the minister added.
21 ELECTRIC LOCOMOTIVE FOR RAILWAY
Replying to another question from ruling party lawmaker Nasimul Alam Chowdhury, the communications minister said tender has been floated to collect 10 meter-gauge locomotives for Bangladesh Railway from South Korea by 2011.
Besides, another 11 locomotives are expected to be collected by 2012 with the assistance of Japan International Co-operation Agency.