Budgetary measure to fix chaos in public transport

Chaos in the public transport sector is growing day by day. Makeshift and uncoordinated moves to fix the problem are not going to pay, even partially. Frequent traffic congestion, reckless driving and inappropriate vehicles have made the situation absolutely chaotic.
Against the backdrop it is desirable that some positive measures will be there in the upcoming budget.
The gross allocation for the transport and communication sector is Tk 500.80 billion in the current budget or the budget for the current fiscal year 2017-18 (FY18). Of the total allocation, around 39 per cent goes to road transport and highways division. This means, road-based communication gets priority in the national policy and it is not a new thing.
Since the independence of Bangladesh, road transport has been given maximum priority by all the governments as the key mode of transport. So the road sector always gets higher budgetary allocations which mostly focus on construction and maintenance of road-related physical infrastructure. There is little attention to develop an effective public transport system.
As a result, country's public transport system has grown over the decades concentrating on road vehicles like buses and minibuses. Statistics available with Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) show that the number of registered buses and minibuses stood at 42,901 and 27,702 respectively at the end of 2017.
While bus is a globally recognised as very important means of public transport, it is the major cause of anarchy on the roads and highways in Bangladesh. Lack of proper planning and failure to apply law are the main reasons for the anarchy.
Ideally, public transport system includes both buses and trains. In the developed countries, and also in many developing countries, metro rails and subways are major means of public transport. The basic principle of the system is to make buses and trains available to the people so that they can move smoothly and timely paying reasonable fare. No doubt, our public transport system is defying the basic principle.
Again, it is the private sector players who are dominating the public transport system, except the railways. Alleged nexus between law enforcing agencies and leaders of the transport sector, reinforced further by political patronage, is often held responsible to make the whole sector unruly and criminalised. Small presence of the state-run Bangladesh Road Transport Corporation (BRTC) in this area also reflects the indifference of the government in resolving the anarchic situation.
Budgetary intervention may be an effective way to reduce the anarchic situation, if adequately supported by the other relevant bodies and agencies of the government. The finance minister may think to allocate some resources to replace the existing buses and minibuses with new ones in the capital city gradually. The old and dilapidated buses need to be replaced at a faster rate.
For Dhaka, the double-decker buses, now running in the BRTC fleet, are a good option. It may be introduced in different routes replacing other buses. The low-floor regular BRTC buses are also reasonably comfortable for the regular commuters especially women, children and elderly persons. The budget may provide some refinancing to introduce these buses widely in different routes.
For the last couple of years, there was a plan for franchising bus routes in Dhaka with limited number of holding companies. One plan, outlined by late Annisul Huq, the then Mayor of Dhaka North City Corporation, was to replace the current 200-plus bus routes with six main routes. It also called for replacing 6,000 existing buses and minibuses with 4,000 new buses and some 150 small owner companies with six large holding companies of the bus operators. Later, the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) took a similar plan and decided to start a trial run under a newly formed Bus Network Management Company. The move is yet to see any outcome.
The upcoming budget may provide good support to realise the plan in an effective manner by allocating conditional resources. Unlike big projects for construction of physical infrastructure, this type of move requires smaller fund.
Besides refinancing to procure new buses, the budget can also provide some dedicated allocations for the transport workers. The unruliness of the transport workers is a matter of serious concern for all. The reckless drivers and rogue helpers put the lives of passengers and pedestrians in danger. At the same time, they are also vulnerable to stressful works of driving in the anarchic situation. They need some welfare support for them and their families.

[email protected]