Coordination keeps eluding DTCA

Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) is yet to ensure coordination among different agencies working in the transport sector.

An expert and officials in the relevant field have listed the lack of coordination as a major reason for the city's traffic situation getting worse day by day.

They said the DTCA is neither being able to bring all the related ministries, agencies and organisations to a discussion table nor has it the power to force them to hold discussion.

The government transformed the Dhaka Transport Coordination Board (DTCB) into an authority (DTCA) enacting a law in June 2012 and entrusting it with the responsibility of managing traffic and transport system in the city more efficiently through coordination with relevant agencies.

Some 35 different agencies including two city corporations, shipping, commerce and water resources ministries, commissioners, members of parliament and leaders of transport workers and owners associations have been involved in traffic-related activities. The authority has also the responsibility of ensuring smooth traffic movement in Dhaka and five other districts adjacent to it.

In the absence of the due role on the part of DTCA, experts said, the traffic situation in and around the Dhaka city has turned really terrible nowadays.

Since its formation, the DTCA has held three board meetings. The attendance of the board members was also poor.

As per the rule, the DTCA has to hold at least three board meetings in a year. The meetings will be presided over by the communications minister while around 30 members from line ministries, agencies, city corporations, unions and associations will attend those.

The DTCA is operating under the DTCA Act, which also holds it responsible for implementing the mass transport system including mass rapid transit (MRT) and bus rapid transit (BRT).

Official sources said as per the act, the DTCA has conducted the feasibility studies of the BRT and the MRT and taken necessary coordination efforts to implement the two mass transport services for the city.

The DTCA executive director, however, refrained from making any comment on the coordination issue.

Sources said the DTCA could not perform its due role for lack of manpower and budget.

Official sources said in the DTCA organogram, recruitment for some 1000 people was recommended. But ministry of communications has reduced the number to 300.

"Yet not a single recruitment was made due to bureaucratic bottlenecks which we do not know how to overcome," said a source preferring not to be named.

Professor Shamsul Haque of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) said the DTCA was formed with the objective of ensuring discipline in the transport sector and the Dhaka city's traffic system.

"But the DTCA has failed to achieve that objective. It needs professionals enjoying independence and authority," said Dr Shamsul Haque.

The DTCA is under the control of the ministry of communications (MoC). It is also ignored by different ministries as most of the transport-related projects are politically-backed or donor-supported.