Opting for MRTs

To have no mass rapid transit (MRT) for a capital city, home to about 15 million inhabitants, is not only pathetic but also disgraceful. Dhaka's intractable tailbacks make it incumbent on the policymakers to come up with an early solution to the problem. But they have not been quick enough to take any measure to match it. Even the strategic transport plan (STP) for the city has undergone revisions a couple of times. In its latest revision, five MRT lines and two bus rapid transit (BRT) lines have been suggested. Done under the guidance of Japanese experts, the additional MRTs have been considered with an eye on the future expansion of the capital and increase in population. But there is no guarantee that this will be the final shape of the city's MRTs. Another study conducted by a team supported by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JAICA) made suggestion for setting up of six MRTs and three BRTs in 2010. This time too the JAICA is responsible for providing the technical support.
What is so galling is that the policymakers had been indifferent to the urgent need for MRTs. Prepared in 2005, the first STP had to wait for long  four years before it received the approval. The exercise of 2010 seems to have gone waste. One of the MRT lines under the first STP, though, has been taken up for implementation with a projected cost of US$2.7 billion until 2024. Even if the latest plans are approved shortly, how long will all the MRTs need to be completed? The hard truth is vested interest quarters are opposed to MRT based on metro rail service. If bus services lose importance, they will be a loser. This will turn against their collective interests.
Admittedly, a mega city like Dhaka cannot depend on bus service alone. Its main mode of transportation, of necessity, has to be train service. Whether it is elevated expressway or underground railway system or the traditional railway, it is best suited to the need of carrying mass people to their destinations within or outside the city. At this stage, the option for laying rail lines on the city's ground surface is limited. Either underground or elevated expressway can be on the cards. Even it will be a daunting challenge to have an underground railway system in Dhaka. Perhaps more appropriate will be elevated expressways.
Now what is needed is to consider the plans on a priority basis. They should not be left to gather dust like their earlier versions were fated to. Because the cost involved is enormous, the projects should be taken up one after another for completion. A time frame should be fixed for completion of each of the MRT lines or else the costs will also overrun on top of the mounting problem of traffic jam. The plan should look forward to reducing the importance or in some cases phasing out the role of bus service altogether. However, along with the proposed BRTs, some peripheral areas will always be in need of bus service to maintain connectivity within the city and beyond.