Redesigned traffic net launched in city

The caretaker government launched a redesigned traffic network in the capital by reducing the 138 crisscrossing city routes to 40 for running buses and minibuses under collective management, reports UNB. brDhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner and Chairman of the Metro Regional Transport Committee (RTC), Dhaka, Naim Ahmed formally gave the go to the updated traffic system at a function Monday, saying that the step has been taken to maintain discipline on the city streets. brEarlier on August 28, Chief Adviser Dr Fakhruddin Ahmed inaugurated the long-awaited implementation of 20-year multimodal Strategic Transport Plan (STP) for the capital. brTraffic congestion is a great problem, as it wastes much time. The objective of opening 40 revised routes is to maintain discipline on the city streets, he said at the launching ceremony of 40 revised routes at the National Tennis Complex in the city.brNaim Ahmed also asked the owners to maintain some reserve seats for women or disabled persons in each busminibus. brThe city police boss noted that the transport owners have the responsibility to restrain their drivers from stopping vehicles indiscriminately on the streets, which creates traffic congestion.brStern legal actions would be taken against vehicles or persons, if they create traffic jams by making artificial obstruction through stopping buses or minibuses indiscriminately on the streets, the DMP Commissioner said on a note of warning.brHe said that traffic police would strictly monitor so that no busminibus could take to the streets other than their designated routes. No buses would be allowed to ply streets not designated as routes.brUnder the new system, individual owners have to form transport companies or cooperatives to run their passenger vehicles.br