Dhaka's transport problem
Saturday, 28 June 2008
OUR capital city of Dhaka is becoming crowded everyday. One of the main reasons is the rise of private cars. Because of poor public transport system, even the lower middle class families started buying cars. A private study, a reported in the press, revealed that 76 per cent of trips in Dhaka city connect short distances.
If so, we can think of a city which will be friendly for the pedestrians. A pedestrian-friendly plan can help check the rise of private cars. From my home at Gulshan, I need, at least, one hour to reach Motijheel by the public buses which are always not available. In fact, the distance can be covered even by walking. But the footpaths in most of the areas are either occupied by hawkers or by the roadside shops. People need wide foot-paths to walk.
Dhaka's streets remain traffic-clogged and the city does not have a healthy public transport system. Banning rickshaws on the main streets did not ease the jam. The successive governments tried to popularise CNG-run auto-rickshaws and Taxi Cabs in place of rickshaws. But this also did not work properly. Like the modern cities in other countries we do not have metrorail system, sub-way, sky-rail or road, circular waterways etc. A sensible public transport system is needed at the earliest to cope with the pressure.
While there is a serious dearth of public transports in the city, Dhaka's population is growing very fast as most activities are focused on this city. There are not many economic activities in the rural areas. This is causing an unending stream of city-ward migration. Simple solutions like banning of rickshaws cannot solve the problem. We need to relocate people from the city by relocating business and economic activities while ensuring arrangements for improving the public transport system.
Ahmed Reza
Gulshan, Dhaka.
If so, we can think of a city which will be friendly for the pedestrians. A pedestrian-friendly plan can help check the rise of private cars. From my home at Gulshan, I need, at least, one hour to reach Motijheel by the public buses which are always not available. In fact, the distance can be covered even by walking. But the footpaths in most of the areas are either occupied by hawkers or by the roadside shops. People need wide foot-paths to walk.
Dhaka's streets remain traffic-clogged and the city does not have a healthy public transport system. Banning rickshaws on the main streets did not ease the jam. The successive governments tried to popularise CNG-run auto-rickshaws and Taxi Cabs in place of rickshaws. But this also did not work properly. Like the modern cities in other countries we do not have metrorail system, sub-way, sky-rail or road, circular waterways etc. A sensible public transport system is needed at the earliest to cope with the pressure.
While there is a serious dearth of public transports in the city, Dhaka's population is growing very fast as most activities are focused on this city. There are not many economic activities in the rural areas. This is causing an unending stream of city-ward migration. Simple solutions like banning of rickshaws cannot solve the problem. We need to relocate people from the city by relocating business and economic activities while ensuring arrangements for improving the public transport system.
Ahmed Reza
Gulshan, Dhaka.