As traffic in the capital Dhaka moves slowly and traffic jams and accidents are very common, a business model is a need of the time to bring discipline back to public transportation system and city streets as well, experts on Saturday said. Imbued with the idea that wide roads and less traffic contribute to lesser traffic, they suggested to the authorities concerned to bring the city's transport sector under a scientific mechanism to make the movement of vehicles smooth, easier and not time-consuming.
Otherwise, all initiatives, including construction of flyovers, metro rail and elevated express way, will go in vain, they said. The experts came up with these observations at a roundtable conference on "Bringing discipline in public transport' held at Institute of Engineers, Bangladesh (IEB). The City Development Journalist Forum (CDJF) and the IEB jointly organised the programme.
Eminent urban engineers, experts, researchers and professors of BUET took part in the discussion, dwelling on Dhaka city’s poor records on road safety. Public transport expert Dr SM Saleh Uddin said, "We have to solve multiple problems for getting over the public transport problem. Buses carry 56 percent passengers. We have to think about other vehicles as well. We have to bring all public transports under a disciplined set-up."
He suggested introducing a central traffic management system, traffic-engineering department, bus depot and bus terminal for city's buses, modern bus bays and bringing all buses under six companies. Professor of Accident Research Institute of BUET, Dr Mizanur Rahman said, "There are various problems as regards the road connectivity in our city. Most of the roads face north-south direction. Due to this, the east-west facing commuters are also facing problems when they enter the north-south facing roads.”
Dr Mizanur Rahman, also the vice-chairman of engineering department of IEB, said that the Multimodal Transportation System should be introduced for ensuring discipline in transport system as well as city streets and highways. Secretary General of the Institute of Planners Dr Adil Mohammad Khan said, "The city corporations in association with the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) should evolve a scientific way for public transport. At first, they should study about how many public transports are actually required for any specific route. After calculating all the necessary aspects, they should introduce a scientific model as well as a business mode. This disorder on city roads will not change unless we take the issue seriously."
Public Transport Researcher Engineer Dr Abdul Al Mamun said, "If the system is developed, it will be possible to bring discipline in Dhaka's public transport. We have to develop a 'business model' in this regard." In his speech as the chief guest, Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) Mayor Sayeed Khokon said, "City's public transport is related to many other sectors. It cannot be possible to change and bring discipline overnight. The capability of different utility service sectors has not increased compared to the progress of the Dhaka city. The Prime Minister gave me the directive to work in a coordinated way. I have asked for two years time to come out of all the hurdles. We will bring about a positive change in public transport within two years."
“We have agreed upon to bring about 2,400 bus owners under six companies”, Sayeed Khokon said, adding that about 355 routes will be converted to 22 routes.The mayor underpinned the need for introducing a business model and a scientific model to bring discipline in city's public transport.