‘Dedicated roads for bus instead of metro rail’
Forum for Planned Chattogram, a non-political voluntary citizen's group, has opposed the metro-rail project for the port city. They instead demand dedicated roadways for buses to reduce traffic.
Four master plans have already been drawn up for the port city, and they recommended dedicated roadways for buses instead of constructing an expensive metro rail. But the supervisory body has not implemented these suggestions, said Subhas Barua, a traffic specialist and vice president of the forum, during a press conference at Chattogram Press Club yesterday.
"We have surveyed and seen that it is possible to reduce traffic congestion if dedicated bus lines are built. The people will get immediate benefits...," he claimed.
"We are not against metro rail, but we are in favour of practicality... Chattogram does not need metro rail till 2030," Subhas said.
This city does not have the institutional capacity and infrastructure to implement master plans. "So in 1995, we recommended the government set up an institution, but it has not done so," he claimed.
Subhas said the government has already constructed several flyovers in Chattogram, violating the master plan.
Even if work goes on smoothly, the government will need another 10 years to build the metro rail in the port city. But traffic congestion in Chattogram has already taken a terrible shape, he claimed.
So, the government can build bus rapid transit instead of metro rail to solve the problem quickly, he added.
Mentionable, the feasibility study for constructing metro rail in Chattogram began on January 31. The duration of the study is estimated to be from January 2023 to June 2025, and is being implemented by Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority.
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