Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) has decided to ban holding of any kind of meeting or rally on the city streets during the weekdays for lessening public sufferings caused by severe traffic gridlock.
The decision was taken at the 10th executive board meeting of DTCA, held at its conference room on Sunday. Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader presided over the meeting as the board chairman.
The meeting observed that public gatherings during the working days are likely to increase in the coming days ahead of the electoral season, causing mounting public sufferings.
The minister urges all concerned to hold public gatherings on Fridays and Saturdays, as traffic flow during the weekends remains lower than other days.
The meeting also decided that any programme, taken in observation of the special days, will not be allowed also during the working days to lessen people's sufferings.
"As the national election is coming near, its fervour is spreading on the streets. So, all organizations, including the government agencies, should avoid programmes on the city streets during the working days," the minister said.
He asked DTCA to find out solutions that can lessen traffic congestion shortly.
However, Mr Obaidul Quader directed DTCA not to focus more on new long-term projects ahead of the election, rather give importance to the ongoing projects to ease gridlock.
"There are two metro-rail projects, but these are long-term ones. MRT-6 will now be possible to launch before 2020. So focus on the projects that will ease people's sufferings without delay," he told the meeting.
The high-ups of different government agencies, including Roads and Highways Department, Bangladesh Railway, Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation, Highway Police, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), and city corporations, along with the leaders of bus owners' association and workers' union attended the meeting.
DTCA board also approved in principle a proposal to launch company-based bus service named BusNet under its leadership on two routes in the city.
DTCA Executive Director Syed Ahmed placed the proposal based on Dhaka bus network study. He said the initiative to form bus route franchise has been stalled following the death of Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Annisul Haque.
DTCA proposed to launch the city route pilot projects under its capacity-building technical assistance project. These routes are - from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Saidabad, and from Kuril to Purbachal Sector-2.
The meeting agreed to form a committee comprising the representatives from all the ministries concerned as well as from the bus owners and workers for taking decisions through coordination to form the companies.
The minister also asked DMP to enforce drive on motorcycles for stopping riding of more than two people in a bike and for ensuring wearing helmets.
The meeting also discussed the issues of previous board meetings, which still remain unresolved, and directed all concerned to take necessary steps in this regard.
smunima@yahoo.com