The government has taken a move to formulate transport master plan for all cities in the country.
In this regard, the government has taken an initiative to transform the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) into a national authority.
No other city has exclusive transport authority other than Dhaka city.
Sources said the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges (MoRTB) has, in principle, taken the decision to convert the DTCA into Urban Transport Authority of Bangladesh which will be assigned to formulate master plan for all cities.
They said the decision was taken to carry out necessary studies in all cities with the target to formulate the master plan for each area.
Though the DTCA is yet to perform its role of ensuring cooperation among all transport related agencies in the city, they said, additional charge is being planned to shift the responsibility.
As part of the move, the DTCA already held a meeting with the agencies involved in transportation system recently. District administration of Chattogram, Chittagong Development Authority and Chattogram City Corporation attended the meeting.
Officials said the meeting was held to explore the possibility of establishing metro rail in the port city.
"We need master plan of transport in all cities due to rapid urbanisation with economic growth towards a middle income country," said an official preferring not to be named.
He said only study could determine what a city needs-metro rail or bus based mass transit system, or both.
Under the MoRTB, the DTCA carried the study to find corridors for mass rapid transit (MRT) and bus rapid transit (BRT) in the city through a master plan named strategic transport plan (STP).
However, responsibility of the DTCA is to ensure coordination among all transport related agencies in Dhaka city for proper introduction of transportation system.
Despite that, the DTCA failed to coordinate with agencies due to non cooperation, lack of human resources and proper power given to it. Sources said the DTCA heads, so far, have been officials of additional secretary rank. The position has hardly been occupied by heads of other transport agencies concerned who are rank of secretary or state minister with better authority to run the office. The DTCA is governed by a board which is also highly dominated by political members, sources further said.
At present, the DTCA has 212 posts. Out of them 138 posts remain vacant. Due to lack of capacity, it always hires foreign consultants to carry necessary studies including MRT and BRT.
The DTCA is now trying to introduce company based bus in the city with support of Dhaka South City Corporation.
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