Uncertainty grips the future of a project taken to install an automated traffic signal system at four intersections in Dhaka city, as the government does not want to continue it amid failures to finish installation work while its Japanese financier wants to complete it.
Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA), the implementing agency of the Tk 520.8 million integrated traffic management project, has already surrendered Tk 19 million budget allocation during revision of the annual development programme after finding no hope in the execution of the project.
Sources said the budget was allotted to the project despite the end of its tenure in June last year as the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) pressed for an extension to resolve the problems created due to the stealing of a software from the DTCA's hired godown.
"Now, only Tk 100,000 has been kept under the project. But there is no scope to extend the project tenure as its other implementing agencies are also not cooperating," said a source well-informed about the development.
The DTCA took the project under the JICA grant in 2017 to develop Intelligent Traffic System (ITS)-based real-time automated signalling system at Paltan and Fulbaria crossings under the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Mohakhali and Gulshan 1 crossings under the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC).
The project first faced hurdles in cutting underground cables due to a lack of coordination among different government agencies.
Later, in early 2020, it faced a major problem when a software bought and kept by the Japanese consulting firm was found missing.
Following that, DTCA took a move to buy the software with the government's fund but the Planning Commission did not entertain the revised project proposal on various grounds.
Sources said JICA last year wrote to the Road Transport and Highways Division to revive the project. Representatives of the JICA's Dhaka office also met the secretary concerned to discuss the issue. However, the division did not respond positively.
Project Director Rabiul Alam said the DTCA has even tried to revive the project by installing the overhead wire system but has not got cooperation from the two city corporations in this regard.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police's (DMP) traffic division, which is supposed to operate the system, is also not cooperating, he added.
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