Spanish firm assigned to conduct feasibility study

A Spanish firm has been assigned to conduct a feasibility study on the introduction of the first corridor for dedicated articulated buses in the city. Officials said on March 10 last the communications ministry awarded the Advanced Logistic Group from Spain which was the lowest bidder of the 100 million taka project and asked it to start the study from Uttara to Sadarghat through Mohakhali and Ramna. They said ALG of Spain was selected from six international companies. The other companies were from Japan, Hong Kong, the United Kingdom, France and South Africa which were short listed for the project known as 'bus rapid transit' (BRT). According to Bangladesh Road Transport Authority, the Uttara-Sayedabad corridor via Mohakhali is occupied by buses of 32 routes, making it one of the busiest and most traffic congested zones of the city. The officials said the study will recommend how to stop and remove other small and big bus services from the pilot route and propose the design of the modern and sophisticated buses to run uninterruptedly, carrying passengers speedily. They said the dedicated bus service will introduce the same coloured high capacity buses on various routes of the corridor and help at least 20,000 passengers to travel in an hour in one route.